Winters Warm Breath
by Emo-Shukun
Summary: Yaoi. Wounded in his gigai from a sneak attack, Ichigo's forced to be the one to take care of him. After gaining such a bond, what will happen after the espada? Worse, if Ichigo dies, will he remember?
1. Chapter 01

**Plot © Emo-Shukun  
Bleach © Kubo Tite (Noriaki)**

**Chapter 01**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Now -**

(Note: A little AU, but not much, and I changed the season because it suits the mood of the story. It's taking placing in the arrancar arc.)

Ichigo laid on his bed in pure silence as the sun slowly continued to rise higher into the morning sky. When his two friends came by, he sat up and waved to let them know that he was dressed and that he was coming down stairs. He could only hope that this would be a normal day without being dragged into shinigami nonsense that could never be put off. Did the shinigami really come to the human world to fight the arrancar because that Captain Aizen or whatever was involved? Or was it because they wanted to investigate the city just a little, or worse, investigate him?

There has been a lot of trouble going on lately…

"Oi Ichigo, what's that in your bag?" Mizuiro asked curiously.  
Ichigo looked at him blankly, then at his bag, "oh… this…?"  
Keigo then bursted into laughter, "w-w-what is that?! HAHA!!"  
He sighed and made something up, "Yuzu wanted me to take it."  
Mizuiro pondered on this information, "why would she want that?"  
"As good luck." His lies managed to be undetected. "Let's go."

…so Ichigo had to take Kon with him during school.

They arrived at school ten minutes later, just as it was starting to snow ever so lightly to where it melted on contact. Yasutora was actually at school today which caught him by surprise and so the orange-haired teen waved. Keigo whined at the bond that the two had and flailed himself at Mizuiro who simply stepped to the side. Uryuu then walked into the classroom a little later than he usual would, but came towards the substitute shinigami and the human before shifting his glasses a little.

Before the three could even talk—let alone properly greet one another, the so-called substitute shinigami combat license began to cause a ruckus. They tensed at this for a brief moment, that was, until Ichigo brought out the stuffed lion which had them falter. Wasting no time, he grabbed the modified soul and placed it in his mouth before being released into his shinigami form, causing Keigo to gape in confusion.

"Kon, behave or I'll have these two kick you out of my body!" The shinigami roared.  
"Roger!" Kon saluted in Ichigo's body proudly as he stretched his body out.

With that accomplished, Ichigo hopped out of an open window to go find the creature that was terrorizing the city. As he grew closer to Rangiku's riatsu, he heard her give out a high pitch scream, which made him hurry even more. Once he arrive, he saw that Toushirou was on the ground wounded in his gigai while Rangiku was fighting. Ichigo looked at the opponent which happened to be an arrancar, but he waited to see if she really needed help. After a few seconds passed, Rangiku finally felt the riatsu of another shinigami and looked at the ground to see the substitute shinigami.

"Ichigo! Take taichou somewhere safe!" Rangiku demanded, fighting off the arrancar.  
He looked baffled for the moment, "do you want me to help you this guy?!"  
"Go!" The lieutenant called out, swiping at the creature who blocked.  
Not hearing it a third time to leave he picked up the unconscious captain, "sorry."

Ichigo then hurried off to a safer spot; beneath the bridge by the river, it was good enough until someone told him what was going on. Ikkaku and Yumichika were passing by him as he was leaving and so he told them where he was going before telling them to help Rangiku. Nothing else had to be said from thereon, so he hurried to the river and settled the captain down, he was still bleeding. He didn't even have his body to take him home—it would be completely suspicious; a kid floating to a clinic, even if it was going to be the one that belonged to his family.

Letting time pass by them, he ripped a piece of his sleeve off and dipped it in water and returned to the knocked out captain. It looked like he damaged his shoulder pretty good; most likely from being impaled into the tree he was next to. Only after he just barely inspecting his shoulder a little more thoroughly did he find out that it was dislocated. Not only that, but his forearm was broken on the same side which meant he was probably trying to catch himself before crashing into the tree so badly. With the small captain unconscious right now… it would be the best time to relocate it, so he shifted over and harshly yanked his arm and positioned it. At least watching his fathers' work little by little let him help with the minor things, so after that he wiped the feverish sweat from his face with the damped treads from his sleeve. His eyes landed on his hands, one of them was closed in a tight fist, so Ichigo pried it open to see the soul candy in the palm of his hand.

"Ambush, huh?" Ichigo thought out loud. "Taking the stronger one off guard, smart."

"Ichigo!" Rangiku called out as she came to his side with the other two behind her.  
"Wow, he looks thrashed." Ikkaku muttered out quietly to himself.  
"I thought he was bloodier earlier." Yumichika thought curiously.  
Ichigo spoke out, "I cleaned him up a little and fixed his shoulder."

"It was a trap," Rangiku called out. "Our cell phones went of and just as taichou was grabbing his soul candy, an arrancar attacked him." She frowned. "The only moment when our guard was down was when he attacked, and taichou was knocked out."

"He's still bleeding, I just relocated his shoulder, he has a broken forearm." The substitute stated. "We don't have a fourth squad officer with us, so the best place I can think of is my place; my dad has his clinic there and all, but I need to get Kon."

"I'll carry him," Ikkaku offered as he came forth.  
He nodded and placed Toushirou's arms against his chest before handing him over to Ikkaku, "keep his arm there, I think I saw a piece of wood a while ago."  
"Wood? Are you going to knock on it?" Yumichika teased.  
After finding the good sized wood and broke it in half, he replied, "it'll make a cast."  
"You know your medical supplies." Ikkaku was somewhat impressed.  
"You can use your medicine on him later." He called out, ripping his other sleeve.

The three watched as the shinigami place the hand-crafted cast on the small captain, it would do for now. But none of them were really sure how big the damage was for the little one, so they wanted to hurry up. Ichigo hurried to school, yelled at Kon from outside and forced him to jump outside the window and fused with him before taking out the modified soul and putting it in the stuffed animal that Kon brought.

**X-**

Ichigo sighed tiredly as he sat on the ground by the foot of his bed while Rangiku occupied his desk chair and Toushirou occupied his bed. Turns out that he broke his left ulna bone, dislocated his shoulder which was fixed, and broke to other bones. It seemed that his left scapula was broken at the tip by the scapular acromion, and a few inches away was a broken a clavicle. There was a chance that there was some internal bleeding in his ribs judging by the pattern, so he had to be watched. Rangiku worriedly watched Toushirou lay motionless on the bed; his chest barely raised with air in his lungs, so the substitute shinigami quietly spoke out.

"Rangiku-san," Ichigo called quietly, and she looked at him, "just curious, but aren't you guys supposed to report things like this to Soul Society? Like his condition…?"

"I know, but I'm so worried, I don't want to leave." She replied sadly. "With his gigai being hit so badly like this, there's no doubt that it hurt his real form beneath it."  
Trying to lighten the mood, he smiled, "I have Toushirou's phone," he raised it just as his own proof, "if something happens, I'll let you know, I promise."  
Rangiku couldn't help but smile back, "you're such a nice guy."

"Yeah… well I'm already cutting school for what seems to be a month or two." The substitute looked at the captain. "It better to have him here instead of at Inoue's since she's over in Soul Society with Rukia. I'll have my dad fix you a bed in my sisters room if you want to stay, ya know, since he shouldn't move for a while."

Her head nodded and stood up, "I'll be back within two hours then, I don't know just how long it will take to contact them." She opened his door, "take good care of him."  
"Don't worry, I will." Ichigo called out as she closed the door, and he sighed.  
"What happened to him?" Kon asked, spying at the wounded captain.  
"Leave Toushirou alone Kon," the teen stood up and stretched. "What did you do?"  
"You're body was so stiff, so I ran a lot in gym." The stuffed animal replied.  
"Well, I might as well do some homework for now." He came to the chair to sit down.

After a long hour of doing Japanese and History, Ichigo was getting tired of all the homework he had, so he started to make doodles. Eventually he went on to doing math work and then a bit of chemistry as he occasionally glanced at Toushirou. The captain didn't look like he was going to wake up anytime soon, and this kind worried him just a little. He glanced over at the cell phone in silence, wondering if he should call Rangiku, but he didn't. Both the badge and cell phone went off in unison which cause the shinigami to jump in surprise before putting the technology on vibrate.

_'Gonna give me a heart attack…'_ Ichigo sighed, and the cell phone flashed with a vibrate, so he opened up to see that Rangiku was calling, so he answered, "yeah?"  
"I'm going to go fight, so don't leave taichou's side." She stated, then heard him give out a light chuckle, so she asked. "Did… I say something funny Ichigo?"  
"No, only I didn't have any intention of leaving Toushirou unattended." He replied.  
"Good. Also, sotaichou says taichou is off duty till he fully recovers, no matter how much he dislikes it. You're in charge of him." The call was then immediately ended.  
"Tch. So much for second opinions." He huffed in annoyance.

"Ah, Ichigo, he's waking up!" Kon called out.

He glanced at the small captain laying beneath the covers of his bed, cringing as he began to stir awake. The substitute shinigami kept an eye on the wounded one just in case he over reacts saying 'where's the arrancar' or whatnot. Ichigo watching as his eyes widened as if remembering something and started to rise, but he placed his hand carefully on his chest. Wincing at the touch, Toushirou turned to glare at who it was that would dare touch him, but was surprised and confused when he saw Ichigo.

"It took a hell of a long time to bandage and cast you up." The orange-haired teen stated just before adding, "just think about that before you start to get up alone."

Toushirou continued to glare at him loosely before looking at the bandages as he tried to remember what happened. It seemed that he had hit the tree a lot more harder that he would expect, but he was in his gigai. Remembering that he had his soul candy in his hand the last time he remembered, he looked for it, only to find it gone. A light tap hit the desk next to him which drove his attention to look over to see it right there. He sighed before trying to sit himself up, but it was too painful on his left side that he did not want to try it again anytime soon.

Ichigo looked at the captain curiously, wondering what was going through his mind, but decided to not be nosy and leaned back in the chair. "You'll be uncomfortable for about three days, once the throbbing dies down you can sit up without any help. But you'll be here until you recover, Toushirou."

The wounded captain sighed, "it's Hitsugaya taichou," he turned to look upwards, "just because I'm lightly wounded, doesn't mean you can order me around Kurosaki."  
"You wake up in a grouchy mood don't you?" Ichigo asked before hearing a knock on the door, so he came to open the door to see Rangiku, "Oi, he just woke up."  
"What?! And you didn't bother to call me?!" She whined and came in the room to see Toushirou staring at the ceiling, "taichou! How are you doing?!"  
"Rangiku-san, please keep your voice down, he has a head injury too." Ichigo sighed.  
Frowning, Rangiku walked over to the chair and sat down, "okay."

Toushirou had a minor gash on his head where the impact against the tree came, and so his forehead was bandaged since it wasn't that high. Rangiku sat there in silence as she continued to gaze down worriedly at the small captain whom was getting annoyed. Ichigo decided that he should probably leave for just a little while, so he thought of a good excuse of how to get out of there.

"I'm going to get a soda, do you guys want some?" He offered rather cheerfully.  
Perking at the offer, the female shinigami looked to him. "Do you have root beer?"  
"Yeah," then he looked at Toushirou, "what about you? Want something?"  
The captain turned his head away in annoyance at his happiness. "Tch."  
Ichigo shrugged and left the room, "alright, be back in a minute."

After he left, Rangiku turned to her captain with a frown, "taichou, you're so mean to him, he took a lot of trouble to bring you to safety and fix you up." She sighed as she sounded depressed, "his father was so busy that he had to do almost everything all by himself too." Her head slumped, "he wouldn't let me help bandage you up."

"Why didn't you send for someone to heal me?" Toushirou growled.  
"You're in your gigai, so it's not all that easy," she replied sadly, then beamed, "but sotaichou said that your off duty until you fully heal! So you're in Ichigo's care!"  
"Matsumoto…" he growled out angrily, only to wince in pain even more.  
"Ah! Taichou, what's wrong!!" Rangiku panicked with worry. "Do you need some-"

"Oi, I said keep your voice down." Ichigo sighed as he closed the door behind him after coming inside with a bag. He grabbed a bottle of root beer and gave it to the woman. "He'll be uncomfortable for a while, so try not to rile him up."

"But I didn't! I just told him that he had to rest and that your taking care of him!"

"I think that pretty much does it though." He scratched his head and looked to the captain, "oi Toushirou, do you have a headache right now? I have some medicine-"  
"It's Hitsugaya taichou you moron." Toushirou interrupted sternly.  
The substitute shinigami sighed and placed the medication on the desk next to him along with a bottle of water. "Here's some pain killers when you want them, _kid_."  
Rangiku watched back and forth between the two as the tension began to grow, so she tried to reason with them, "can't you two be nice to each other?"

Ichigo's eyes averted from the captain, taking a lot into consideration and then gave a decent offer to the woman, "do you want to take a bath Rangiku-san?"  
"A bath?!" She squealed. "Of course! Can I have bubbles in it too?"  
"Sure," he pointed behind him, "I'll go get it started for ya."

Toushirou noted the bandages on the substitutes hands, after the teen was gone, he asked, "when did he receive those bandages on his hands? They weren't there last-"

"I don't know, I asked him already." She sighed as she recalled earlier events, "he said that his hands were really sore from bandaging you up and stuff." Immediately the female shinigami frowned, "I know he's lying, but I don't know why he would."

After a few moments, Ichigo came walking in and called out, "Rangiku-san, the water is ready for you, Yuzu said she'll show you the way. You got extra clothes right?"  
"Yes! I brought our belongings here after talking to sotaichou and beating up the hollows in the way." She smiled happily. "You're such a nice guy Ichigo!"  
"Nee-san!! Let me take a bath with you!!" Kon whined, but was grabbed by Ichigo.  
"You're becoming a pest." Stated the orange-haired teen and threw him in the closet.  
"Rangiku-san, the water is going to get cold!" Yuzu's voice called out.  
"Coming, coming!" Rangiku cheered and walked out happily.

Ichigo sighed again after who knows how many times, and just came to his desk to do some more math as he leaned into the palm of his left hand. He was really bored because he couldn't go to school or go fight off some steam against a hollow just for fun. It was actually a pain to think of it like that even though it just really couldn't be helped out. Hearing a little shifting on the bed made him curious, but he forced himself to ignore what the wounded captain may be trying to do. The captain was reaching out for the painkillers—was he going to try opening it with one hand?

He waited for a while as if he never noticed what the captain was doing, waiting to see if he would ask for help. It's possible that this little guy was filled with too much pride like Byakuya was during his last visit to Soul Society. Hearing the a faint grunt had him turn to look at the captain who was trying to open the container. Ichigo had no choice but to get up and offer his hand for the container so that he could help him out. There was a long unnerving silence between them until Toushirou finally gave up and just handed him the container. The teen opened it and placed one in his hand before closing the container and opening the water bottle for him, which he took.

After Ichigo set the container of painkillers down and capped the water bottle, he asked as if it was nothing, "why are both of your hands bandaged so badly?"  
"Eh?" He looked at the bandages on his hands, "their nothing really, their just stiff and sore from bandaging you up." Then remembered, "did she tell you your status?"  
One of his eyebrows raised at this. Your status. What the hell? "No, she didn't."

"You had a dislocated shoulder to start off, even though it's in place now it might not help the two upper bones you cracked. Then you have a broken arm, and a gash on your head, but nothing was entirely serious." He then added, "you'll be out for two months in the least though. Your sotaichou even said you have to stay put here."

Toushirou growled lowly at this, "I suppose a 'thank you' is in order."  
"Not really," he replied, "I helped whether you wanted me to or not."  
"Kurosaki," his eyes became heavy from the medicine, "thank you."  
The teen replied after the captain fell asleep, "yeah, you're welcome."

**X-**

_He looked around the icy plain and how it brought back so many memories as he continued on his path. It wasn't like he was confused as to where he was, just really confused as to why he was there though. A roar emitted from his companion as a loud clashing thunder, so he turned around to look. Hyorinmaru was now in his presence which was not very surprising, so he had to ask the zanpakuto._

_"Why did you bring me here?" Toushirou questioned wearily.  
It growled at the question, "are you well young one?"  
"I'm fine," he retorted, "now what's this about?"_

_"A zanpakuto cannot worry about its' wielder?" Rumbles of irritation came from his icy throat, still remaining somewhat calm. "You asked the human about his hands."_

_As if the statement clicked in his mind, he looked back up at the dragon, "Kurosaki?"  
"I was the one who harmed him for harming you." Hyorinmaru retorted.  
"Harmed me…" the captain thought about it; Rangiku said that the teen didn't have bandage on his hands until after bandaging him up. "What do you mean by this?"  
He let out a furious roar and a flap of his wings, "exactly as I said!"_

_Toushirou thought about it a little more, the substitute wasn't one to just harm anyone just for no reason. So was it possible that shifting his arm into place and casting his arm was what made Hyorinmaru think otherwise? He remembered how the pain was hard to bear with when he woke up, so tending to his wounds; he must've hurt even more than he could imagine if there were broken bones, a gashes, and dislocation._

_"What was it," the small captain started to ask, "what was it you did to Kurosaki?"_

_The thundering growl of the zanpakuto grew, "each time his hands touched your body, I allowed him to feel how cold we are. To him, it may have felt like a thousand needles piercing through his hands. Unfortunately this did not stop him." It stated._

_Toushirou only smirked at this while commenting, "that sounds like Kurosaki."_

Determined.

**X-**

"He was such a brat when a bet him, but he was so cute and full of spunk." Came the voice of the captain's lieutenant. "Did you know that he didn't want to become a shinigami? But he had strong riatsu that he had to leave his grandmother to do so."

_'Matsumoto…'_ Toushirou mentally sighed. Why did she do this to him?

There was a long silence, making the captain wondering is she was just talking to herself, but then he finally heard the teen speak out, "at first, becoming a shinigami was just a hassle for me, I didn't like it much. But then Byakuya and Renji came to take Rukia away, so I had to go after her. Who knew I would have so much fun?"

Rangiku replied cheerfully, "that would be great if taichou can have fun."  
He chuckled, "what, you mean filling out reports isn't fun?"  
"He never loosens up," she then whined, "he holds back on everything."  
_'I'm going to kill you Matsumoto…'_ Toushirou thought to himself.  
"Can't blame him." Ichigo retorted.  
"Huh?" Rangiku looked confused.

"Well, if you put two and two together, he's great for being a taichou," the substitute shinigami called out, "the fact that he puts everyone's well being before his own is great, but no one really thinks of how he's feeling if he tends to everyone else." He thought that sounded sappy, so he laughed, "I don't know, like he's hurting himself."

"Hmm…" she hummed in thought, "can I have another root beer Ichigo?"  
"Yeah," the teen got up from the floor, "I need to get something downstairs anyway."  
"Kurosaki." Toushirou called out with his eyes closed, scaring the crap out of the two.  
"Y-Yeah?" He stuttered for a reply, a little shaken up at the call of his name.  
"Do you have kiwifruit ramune?" He asked tiredly with his eyes still closed.  
"Ramune, huh?" Ichigo scratched his head, "I think so. I'll be back in a minute."

Rangiku smiled sheepishly at the drowsy captain, "t-taichou… how… how long have you been up?" She could hear him yelling his name any moment now.  
"Since you've called me a brat." Toushirou answered as he slowly opened his eyes.  
"I-I-I didn't mean it taichou!" She pleaded for mercy from the wounded captain.  
He ignored it, for now at least. "It's been a while," painfully he lifted his body to sit.  
"Hmm? Taichou, were you dreaming?" Rangiku asked in amazement.

"Hah! I knew it was you two that Ichi-nii said he brought home." A voice called out.

The two looked at her and Rangiku smiled, "it's Ichigo's other sister! Um… Karin?"  
"Kurosaki Karin," she said with a grin and crossed her arms. "Dad said it's funny that he'd bring funny that he'd bring home an adult and elementary student."  
Toushirou twitched, "again… with the elementary student…"

"What the heck are you doing in here," Ichigo blinked at his sister.  
Karin looked at him, "I was saying hi to Toushirou and Rangiku."  
"How do you even know them?" He glared at her lightly.  
"She wanted taichou to play soccer with her!" Rangiku smiled.  
"Soccer?" The substitute blinked with surprise.  
"She knows that we're shinigami." Toushirou stated.  
"…" Karin flinched visibly when he said that.

"Tch." Ichigo gave the root beer and ramune to Rangiku. "Guess that's my fault for spreading my spiritual power around," he mumbled and hoisted his little sister over his shoulder, "what do you think your doing without a knee brace anyway ya brat?"

"Ichi-nii! I'm fine! Put me down! I can walk you know!" Karin yiped in surprise.  
"Not very well," he retorted and walked outside the room with her.  
Rangiku looked at her captain, "I think you got her in trouble taichou."  
Toushirou looked at his subordinate, "really?"  
"You didn't see her flinch? I don't think Ichigo knew she knew!"  
He shrugged, "it's too late to change things now."

After a few minutes, Ichigo came walking in and closed the door, "sorry about that."  
"It's okay, taichou used to stalk her for a week when you disappeared." Rangiku smiled cheerfully. "Don't they make the cutest couple ever?!"  
"Matsumoto…" Toushirou growled, despite the pain in his left side.  
"Yeah, their so similar that I wonder if their kids would have gray hair." Ichigo replied sarcastically before scratching his head, "now I'll have nightmares."

Something buzzed in the room just as his badge sounded it's alarm, and he brought out the cell phone to see the location of the hollow, then looked at Rangiku who frowned with the utmost disappointment.

Rangiku brought out her silent phone and sighed, "okay, I'll go slay the hollow."  
"I can go to give you a break if you want, you took a couple down today." He stated.  
"Oh come now Ichigo, I can take on hollows." She swayed the offer away without a care and left through the door, "bye-bye! Take good care of taichou for me!"  
Kon stepped on the desk and whined, "nee-san!! Take me with you!!"  
"Shut up or I'll hand you to Yuzu," Ichigo stated.  
He paused, then fell on the desk, "I'm dead."

Sighing with a little annoyance, he averted his attention to elsewhere, only to see that Rangiku didn't give Toushirou his ramune, so he grabbed it and looked at the captain quietly as if he was bored, "did you want me to open it Toushirou?"

"It's Hitsugaya taichou to you." The wounded captain growled.  
"Hmm," he took it as a yes, so he popped it open and handed it to him. "Here."  
"Thank you," Toushirou spoke with reluctance and took it in his right hand.  
"No problem." His attention went to the math homework that he had out.

However, Toushirou couldn't help but notice that the teen had flinched a little when pressing his thumb against the plunger to shove the marble down. It was a little bit annoying that it was his fault for not having better control over Hyorinmaru when he was unconscious. Supposedly though, an apology should be in order for the lack of dominance over his zanpakuto, even if it was protecting him.

"The reason why your hands are so bandaged is because I was unable to subside Hyorinmaru while I was unconscious." Toushirou spoke. "For that, I apologize."  
What could be a good way to lighten his mood just a little? Oh, "oi Toushirou-"  
"It's Hitsugaya taichou to you!" He yelled, immediately flinching in pain.

"For one thing, you're off duty till you're healed, so one way or the other I don't have to pretend to be at your command, besides that—I don't even belong to Soul Society like you guys do." Ichigo then passed off a cool smile. "And about my hands, who cares? One way or the other I was going to bandage you up," he then shrugged, "unless you wanted Rangiku-san to do that for you, then next time I'll let her."

The captain mentally snorted and took a sip of the ramune, "so who's in charge?"  
"You're still the one that can call the shots, but you can't do anything unless I can give the permission you need. Rangiku-san said so herself." He replied casually.  
This irritated the wounded shinigami, "what makes you think I'll listen to you?"  
"Because your higher-up said so, and being a taichou, that's practically the law."  
"Tch." Toushirou set the ramune up on the windowsill before bringing his hand to the bandages on his other hand, then grimaced on how much it still had hurt.  
"Oh yeah," the substitute shinigami then remembered, "life up your shirt."  
He raised a suspicious eyebrow towards the teens' request, "excuse me?"  
It was easy to explain though, "you're bound to suffer some internal bleeding."

Toushirou sighed in annoyance, but he too wondered if he was suffering from some internal bleeding, so he lifted his shirt, only to cringe at the discoloration that was bigger than his hand. He glanced at the teen to see him frown at this, so obviously it had only occurred after he was bandaged. It was in his own interest though to see just how sore his minor internal bleeding was, so he lowered his hand to touch it. A hand grasped his wrist lightly—practically startling him, so he looked up at the teen.

"Touching it will just hurt more." Ichigo stood up and went to the small refrigerator that was on the ground against the wall. "Here," he gave him an ice pack for it.  
"When did you have that in here?" He scowled as he took the ice pack from him.  
"I carried you in here and Ikkaku brought it up here while Yumichika stared at himself in the mirror while Rangiku-san raided our real fridge." The teen replied.  
Sighing, the captain placed the ice pack at his side, "then why did you leave your room to get sodas if you have some in there." He had seen the just now.  
"It was a little obvious that you didn't want to talk in front of me," he replied rather plainly, "and it's actually hard to keep thinking of excuses to keep leaving…"

_  
'Perhaps he's not as stupid as he looks.'_ Toushirou thought to himself.

Kon made himself noticed to the substitute shinigami, causing them to argue for just a brief moment before the stuffed animal was thrown out. Toushirou watched as the teen his at his hand—there was no doubt that he obviously was over using them. It caught the wounded captain by surprise though that the orange-haired idiot clenched his fists. Was this substitute shinigami really that stupid as to try clenching his fists tightly as if he could stretch out the pain within him?

"You're probably hungry, aren't you?" Ichigo brought the captain out of thoughts.  
"No, not really," but his stomach says otherwise as it growls lowly.  
Trying so hard as to resist grinning widely at the little liar, he offered, "how about some watermelon as a snack then? Later I'll ask Yuzu what the heck is dinner."  
"You're persistent, both in and out of battle." The captain sighed in annoyance.

"You're a guest here, and you're really need to loosen up or else your wounds will just hurt a lot longer than I would expect." With that said, he locked the window and walked out of the room, "Rangiku-san should be getting back soon, I'll call and ask."


	2. Chapter 02

**Chapter 02**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

"The reason why your hands are so bandaged is because I was unable to subside Hyorinmaru while I was unconscious." Toushirou spoke. "For that, I apologize."  
What could be a good way to lighten his mood just a little? Oh, "oi Toushirou-"  
"It's Hitsugaya taichou to you!" He yelled, immediately flinching in pain.

"For one thing, you're off duty till you're healed, so one way or the other I don't have to pretend to be at your command, besides that—I don't even belong to Soul Society like you guys do." Ichigo then passed off a cool smile. "And about my hands, who cares? One way or the other I was going to bandage you up," he then shrugged, "unless you wanted Rangiku-san to do that for you, then next time I'll let her."

The captain mentally snorted and took a sip of the ramune, "so who's in charge?"  
"You're still the one that can call the shots, but you can't do anything unless I can give the permission you need. Rangiku-san said so herself." He replied casually.  
This irritated the wounded shinigami, "what makes you think I'll listen to you?"  
"Because your higher-up said so, and being a taichou, that's practically the law."  
"Tch." Toushirou set the ramune up on the windowsill before bringing his hand to the bandages on his other hand, then grimaced on how much it still had hurt.  
"Oh yeah," the substitute shinigami then remembered, "life up your shirt."  
He raised a suspicious eyebrow towards the teens' request, "excuse me?"  
It was easy to explain though, "you're bound to suffer some internal bleeding."

Toushirou sighed in annoyance, but he too wondered if he was suffering from some internal bleeding, so he lifted his shirt, only to cringe at the discoloration that was bigger than his hand. He glanced at the teen to see him frown at this, so obviously it had only occurred after he was bandaged. It was in his own interest though to see just how sore his minor internal bleeding was, so he lowered his hand to touch it. A hand grasped his wrist lightly—practically startling him, so he looked up at the teen.

"Touching it will just hurt more." Ichigo stood up and went to the small refrigerator that was on the ground against the wall. "Here," he gave him an ice pack for it.  
"When did you have that in here?" He scowled as he took the ice pack from him.  
"I carried you in here and Ikkaku brought it up here while Yumichika stared at himself in the mirror while Rangiku-san raided our real fridge." The teen replied.  
Sighing, the captain placed the ice pack at his side, "then why did you leave your room to get sodas if you have some in there." He had seen the just now.  
"It was a little obvious that you didn't want to talk in front of me," he replied rather plainly, "and it's actually hard to keep thinking of excuses to keep leaving…"

'_Perhaps he's not as stupid as he looks.'_ Toushirou thought to himself.

Kon made himself noticed to the substitute shinigami, causing them to argue for just a brief moment before the stuffed animal was thrown out. Toushirou watched as the teen his at his hand—there was no doubt that he obviously was over using them. It caught the wounded captain by surprise though that the orange-haired idiot clenched his fists. Was this substitute shinigami really that stupid as to try clenching his fists tightly as if he could stretch out the pain within him?

"You're probably hungry, aren't you?" Ichigo brought the captain out of thoughts.  
"No, not really," but his stomach says otherwise as it growls lowly.  
Trying so hard as to resist grinning widely at the little liar, he offered, "how about some watermelon as a snack then? Later I'll ask Yuzu what the heck is dinner."  
"You're persistent, both in and out of battle." The captain sighed in annoyance.

"You're a guest here, and you're really need to loosen up or else your wounds will just hurt a lot longer than I would expect." With that said, he locked the window and walked out of the room, "Rangiku-san should be getting back soon, I'll call and ask."

**- Now -**

Three long weeks passed, and it was starting to look a little brighter for the wounded captain's condition. He was allowed to walk around freely, but was still bound to stay in the Kurosaki residence whether he liked it or not. The thought of the head captain telling him that he had to listen to the substitute shinigami while he recovered. It was certain though that it was better being under this roof than under Inoue Orihime due to an actual bed, decent clean rooms, and non-poisoned food. There was a small price to this however—the family was practically insane, and Rangiku was no help. Every time they were all having a meal, the substitute shinigami and his father would constantly bicker and fight over nothing whatsoever.

The thing that he probably hated the most was the physical contact between himself and the orange-haired teen. There were pros and cons to being treated by this guy though, the best pro to it was probably that he shooed Rangiku out of the room. It wasn't like he was that self conscious—he just doesn't feel like being crowded when he's half naked. After some time being there though, he was getting a little used to Ichigo's hands touching his body where the wounds were. He wasn't being all that agreeable with this situation in his mind though; it was only because of the order.

"Alright, you're good to go." Ichigo stated as he left his side with the previous little bandages that the captain had on. "You might heal a little faster than expected."  
"We're wasting valuable time," he growled lowly at the relaxed one.  
"Oi, I haven't been able to train either, Zangetsu's a little irritated as well."  
True, Ichigo had not left the house because he hadn't, so he sighed, "…"  
"It's about noon, do you want some lunch?" Though the teen knew the answer.  
"Fine." After taking a while to put on his shirt, he left the room with him.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the two didn't have a relationship whatsoever, they managed it little by little in each others' presence. Though it was obvious that the wounded captain would still get irritated when the idiot would not call him his title. Rangiku began turning into the one in charge of their mission after the first week of his injuries, so it was getting beneath his skin. Ichigo would try to get him to do things to have him 'loosen up,' but that was just completely ridiculous.

"Rangiku-san, I'm going to make lunch!" Ichigo called out.

It was Ichigo who had been making them lunch because Yuzu and Karin were in class at the time. When Rangiku thought Orihime's cooking was good, she like Ichigo's even more which surprised her. She thought that guys didn't cook, but the substitute shinigami could only shrug saying that he had to took a couple years back. Neither of the two understand what reason he would have to be forced to cooking, but it was pretty good, so they didn't complain. Actually, that wasn't true, Rangiku complained quite a bit about almost everything, and it was becoming annoying to both guys.

"I'm here!" Rangiku cheered, coming down the stairs three minutes after them.

Toushirou sighed as he sat at the kitchen table, "Matsumoto, are you that bored?"  
She frowned at this and retorted, "but taichou, there's no sake here to drink!"  
"We only have them for the holidays, but only my dad drinks it." Ichigo called out.  
Rangiku sat at the table next to Toushirou. "Can we go to the store to buy some?"  
"No," both male shinigami had replied, lightly stern to her request.  
She frowned sadly at this, so she of course she complained with her whiny tone of voice, "why do you two have to team up on me and even say it in unison!"  
"No we don't." They both answered, and again it was in unison, so they decided to glare at each other for a brief moment before breaking it at the same time. "Tch."

Knowing that the captain wouldn't say what he was going to, the teen decided to speak, "did you want to go to the bookstore though? I was thinking of going there."  
"Eh? You're going to leave taichou?" Rangiku asked in complete surprise to this.  
"No, he's going to be dragged along," he replied, "he's the only reason why."  
"Excuse me?" The wounded captain turned his attention to him once more.  
"You aren't doing anything except laying around and constantly worrying about the arrancar, so you're going to get a book to distract you." Ichigo stated.  
"How rude, I believe how I use my recovery time is my business alone." He retorted.

"Oh, taichou! Let's get you a book! Would you like romance? Maybe one with a lot of sexual scenes for you? What about some girl on girl love, guys like that don't they?" Rangiku then gasped, "what about boy on boy love taichou? That'll be interesting!"

The two males just stared at her in a completely stunned matter, wondering where on earth did she come up with all of this. But because Rangiku suggested all of these to the small captain, he blushed in a frustrated manner, so he rubbed his face at the humiliation. It was hard for Ichigo to not fall over and just laugh at these, but he had to hold it in for the sake of having the captain tense. His body was almost completely healed, almost, but he still had a broken arm and a gash on his head. Pushing the thoughts of the wounded captain out of his mind, he came over and brought the two their lunches. It was teriyaki chicken with a side dish of rice, it was practically one of the best things he could cook because it didn't take an hour.

"You should be a chef when you graduate!" Rangiku complemented, just before she devoured her entire plate and her bowl of rice. "Ohyeah, that's right" she spoke with her mouth full, "what're…gonnado… whenyou… graduateIchigo?"

"Don't speak with your mouth full," the captain growled, mainly because he couldn't even understand what she said. After she swallowed, he asked. "What did you say?"  
"I asked Ichigo what he was going to do after he graduates, I heard his class would be graduating in two years." Rangiku replied, holding out her bowl, "seconds please!"  
"Sure," it was expected that the female would want seconds, that's why the teen made more, "about after graduation, I haven't thought about it at all."  
"I thought it was really important to humans? That's what Orihime said to me."

Ichigo gave her the seconds of chicken and rice that she wanted, then sat down across from Toushirou. "Sure, I probably did have ideas of what to do for my future, but, if you think about it, I can't do anything." The two in front of him stopped eating for the moment, wondering why it was that he would say something like that. "Ever since I became a shinigami, I've had two lives to deal with. One as a shinigami and one as a human." He shrugged as if it was nothing, "it's not like I can ignore the hollows going after spirits anymore though, but my family really needs the support."

Rangiku seemed a little surprised at this, then just had to ask, "you can't do both after graduation? Is there some sort of rule for you on earth?"  
The teen laughed, "I can't exactly skip out on work, I would get fired."  
"Then why not become a full fledged shinigami?" Toushirou questioned.  
He looked at him for a second, then looked down, "I was thinking about that."  
"There's hesitation in your tone." The captain announced as he took another bite.

"I was thinking about going to Soul Society to see if I could join the academy that all shinigami go to—well, most at least," he remembered Kenpachi. "Since I have too much spiritual power that can't always be controlled, I was thinking of getting help."

"You have defeated two or three of the Gotei 13, and you have accomplished using a bankai," Toushirou took another bite of the teriyaki chicken, chewed silently, and swallowed before continuing, "you can be a taichou if you really wanted."

"T-Taichou," Rangiku looked at him in disbelief as to his offering.  
"Of course, you should probably learn some kido to lower your riatsu." He added.  
"Sounds thrilling," the teen family rather boredly, taking a bite of his meal.  
How rude… "If that will be your attitude, then I guess I won't teach you."  
Ichigo blinked in confusion, wondering if he had heard just right, "w-what?"  
"Taichou, are you really offering to teach Ichigo?" The lieutenant asked confusedly.

"I would rather order this moron around by teaching him than doing nothing at all." Toushirou then looked at Ichigo, "that is, if he calls me by my title for here on."

There was a long silence between the three, Rangiku and Toushirou keeping an eye on Ichigo to see if he would falter, but the substitute just stared at him food. "Well…" He stated, then smirked as he looked at Toushirou, "I'll call you 'Hitsugaya,' _**if**_ I can actually learn something from you. Then we'll see from there."

"You're in no position to bargain, Kurosaki." The captain scowled.  
"Like you said, you'll be bored." He looked at him, "what type of book do you want?"  
"Oh! I think I know! Don't the humans call them pornography? The ones with sex?"  
Toushirou's head fell and cheeks reddened in frustration once more, "very well."  
"W-wait, you want pornography?!" Ichigo panicked. "You perverted little guy."  
"Morons!" Toushirou growled as he resisted to tense. "I meant I would teach you."  
"Aw…" Rangiku frowned with lost hope to given Toushirou. "You're no fun taichou."

"For good reasons," Toushirou sighed.

**X-**

"Jeez…" Ichigo panted. "You're… trying… to kill me."  
"What's the matter? Are you tired?" The captain asked.  
"No, I'm full of energy." He replied sarcastically.  
Rangiku frowned, "you're being too harsh on him taichou."

"He trained for ten days before coming to Soul Society, he took down many strong shinigami." Toushirou stated. "He learned bankai in three days, and defeated Kuchiki taichou." He glared at the substitute. "Bankai can take a decade or a century to master, but you, you master it in a heartbeat compared to everyone else." Then the captain announced, "so he can master kido in three weeks instead of six years."

"Yeah… and ya better believe that I'll do it too." Ichigo grinned coolly.

"You've got your binding spells down quicker than I anticipated." Toushirou somehow managed to complement him, "now, see if you can contact the others, and tell them that they need to come and report now, and this includes Renji."

Ichigo took in a deep breath, tiredly trying to concentrate on how to do this. He snorted and bit his thumbs to draw a symbol on his arms, and called in his mind,_ 'Renji… Ikkaku… Yumichika…'_ Once locating them, he called out, "tenteikura!" Then thought in his head, his body was growing heavy little by little.

Ikkaku looked upwards curiously, "hmm, wonder who that is…"  
Yumichika chuckled lightly, "can't you tell? It's Kurosaki Ichigo."  
"I-Ichigo?! He can use kido?! HE HELD BACK ON ME?!" He fumed.  
"Ikkaku-san, how do you know Ichigo?" Keigo asked worriedly.  
"Shut up!!" Ikkaku roared. "He's gonna tell us something."

Renji halted from his training with Yasutora and stood there, "what the hell?"  
Yasutora stood up properly as he looked at the shinigami, "what is it?"  
"Ichigo… he's using kido to contact me and the others." He replied.

_"Oi,"_ Ichigo called out, sounding pretty tired, and he glanced at Toushirou before continuing. Yeah, just for now, he deserved the title. _"Hitsugaya taichou wants you guys to come to my place to give him some reports on your progress."_ With that said, he broke off the binding spell and fell on one knee. "Shit…" he whispered.

"Congratulations," Toushirou called out, surprisingly in a lighter mood, "I didn't expect you to master it for another three days." He then covered his mouth to yawn.  
"Tch, you got some low expectations on me Toushirou." The substitute panted.  
"Eh? You just called taichou by his title, and now you stop?" Rangiku asked curiously.  
"Nah," he shoved Zangetsu into the ground and got up, "it's just…" he finally stood.  
"It's just?" The stern tone returned in Toushirou's voice.

Ichigo looked at him with a grin, "you're off duty."

He snorted towards the response he received, "so, that's it, huh?"  
The substitute grinned, "pretty much." Then called out, "Kon!"  
"Yes!!" The modified soul in Ichigo's body jumped to them.  
"Oh shut up and give me my body." He took it the body by force.

"Oi!" Renji hollered out, rushing in his gigai.  
Ichigo looked at him curiously, "oh, it worked."  
"You idiot!" He smacked him over his head.  
"Ow! What was that for!!" The teen growled.

Ikkaku smacked him over his head. "You could use kido?!"  
"Why am I the one getting attacked!" Ichigo seethed angrily.  
"It seems you were holding out on us." Yumichika explained, smirking no less.  
"Holding out…" he winced as he kept standing. "Hitting a fallen man, huh? Thanks."

"Enough," Toushirou called out. "He called you here to give me reports."  
Renji blinked in surprise, "what… what happened to you Hitsugaya taichou?"  
"Oh, you've been training so much that you did know…" Rangiku thought out loud.  
"Didn't know what? Who the heck attacked him?" The tattooed one asked.  
"That doesn't matter," the captain retorted, "now give me the reports."

**X-**

Toushirou sat on Ichigo's bed, the one he had been occupying for the past three weeks while the substitute slept on a futon against the flooring of the room. He just sat there, watching the orange-haired teen sleep soundly which was no real surprise to him. The captain admitted to himself that he was overworking the substitute shinigami, but with good intentions nonetheless. His arm would heal in three more weeks and then there's still the issue of it being usable afterwards. Since it would technically take another two or three more weeks to fully adapt with his healed hand, he knew that passing the time training the teen would benefit against the enemy.

_'What is this guy?'_ He asked himself.

It would normally take centuries to learn a bankai, and this man was able to learn it within three days, and mastered it in less that a year when it should be ten. Though Abarai Renji and Madarame Ikkaku have also achieved bankai, their comparison to Ichigo was severe. Back when he just became a shinigami on his own, and the amount of time with learning bankai, it was clear that it took him around a month to become a captains level; _**a month**_. To Toushirou, this man seemed rather dangerous because he would get stronger after every fight, and he had some other power to add from within. A power that great could cause great peril to those around him, and yet, he uses it to protect those around him, and he doesn't try to kill unless-

Ichigo jumped up on the futon, gasping for air, "damn it…"  
The captain faltered at the suddenly jump, "what is it Kurosaki."  
He panted roughly, "it's nothing," his body was too tired.  
"I doubt anyone jumps like that for 'nothing,' fool."

Wincing with every movement, the substitute stood up as he explained his words a little more thoroughly, "it's nothing for you to worry about." He wiped away the sweat on his forehead as he walked out of the room. "I'll be back in a minute."

The captain really couldn't understand the substitute shinigami; the guy would act so completely weird and stupid that it confused him. To loosen up the heated room, he had no choice but to open the window a little, but it gave him a better view. It was snowing outside, so the windows were frosted over a bit, but the breeze felt good for him. Nice cooling breeze reminded him of the ice plain where Hyorinmaru laid in waiting to be summoned, but no, the dragon would have to wait.

"You're gonna freeze everyone if you keep it open," Ichigo called out.  
He looked at him, _'I could barely sense his riatsu as he came…'_ then remembered that he had spoken to him, "does that mean you want it closed then?"  
Just for a brief moment, he scowled at the captain, but carelessly shrugged, "nah," he closed the door and tucked a towel at the bottom to keep the cool air in.  
"…" This puzzled the captain—wasn't the teen worried if his family became sick?

"Keeping the cold in here is easy by just setting a towel under the door, so it doesn't matter." Ichigo stretched his muscles. "Besides, you probably like it colder anyhow."

"Does presume things if you might be wrong." Toushirou retorted in annoyance.  
"Ah, but I might be right." He replied as he went to the little refrigerator. "Ramune?"  
The captain sighed in annoyance, at times he hated Ichigo, "sure."  
Grabbing a bottle of ramune, he popped the marble in and gave it to him, then grabbed himself a bottle of water. "I bet you hate the summer, don't you?"  
"I'm not fond of the season, no." Replied the irritated white-haired boy.  
"Hmm," he tried to think about something, then laughed at the thought.  
Toushirou scowled at him, "what seems to be so funny."

"Nothing," the substitute chuckled, "I was just wonder what everyone would do if they went to the beach to relax. Might be hard for you and Byakuya, that's for sure."  
"Beach?" He forgot to mask the confusion in his tone, causing Ichigo to snicker.  
"A place covered in sand that slopes down into the ocean." He replied coolly.  
"Hmm," Toushirou took a sip of the ramune in silence, wondering what it'd look like.

"Tch." Ichigo flexed his arms, "a few more hours and I'll train a little more." He winced when straining a little too much. "Damn it… I can freakin' train for two weeks to become a shinigami, three days to learn bankai, and a week to learn the truth." The teen sat on the ground, "freakin' kido… I'll master it all in three days…"

Toushirou didn't care what Ichigo said; if he wanted to kill himself, then that was fine with him, but what he last thing he learned… "Learn the truth of what?"  
The substitute shinigami seemed to have snapped out of his anger and looked at him, "oh… nothing," he sighed, "I'm just talking to myself for no real reason…"  
Someone bursted through the opened window, "Kurosaki Ichigo!"  
"GAH!" he fell over, "you damn bastard, I thought you went back to Soul Society!"  
"We have," he blinked, then shook his head before dipping it in respect, "I have a message from Lurichiyo-sama to address to you." He showed the letter.

"You're kidding me, couldn't this…" forget it, Ichigo knew the answer and sighed and stood back up. "Alright, hand it over then, but it better not be some stupid thing."  
"How dare you," the shinigami scowled at him as he took the letter.  
"Shut up Kenryuu, you're starting to bug me." Ichigo opened the letter.

_Ichigo! Hurry up and come to Soul Society! We're so bored! Hurry! Hurry! We want to play with you Ichigo! Kenryuu and Enryuu are soooo boring now!!_

Ichigo grinned and waved the letter in front of Kenryuu, "hah, she called you boring."  
"Eh?! Don't say things like that! Let me see!" He reached out to grab it.  
"No way, it was addressed to me." He snickered as he still waved the letter around.  
"Kurosaki." Toushirou called out, still eyeing the suspicious shinigami.  
"Oh…" supposedly a greeting is in order. "This is Kenryuu, he's an idiot."  
"Bastard." He growled out angrily. "So who's this kid, huh? Your little brother?"  
"Kid?" The captain twitched in annoyance, "I'll kill you on the spot…"

"Ah, well, this is Hitsugaya Toushirou taichou, the 10th squad."

"Taichou?" Kenryuu looked at Toushirou. "Are you sure?"  
"Never mind that," Ichigo sighed, "I'm gonna have to pass on the play date that she wants," He scratched his head lightly. "Didn't you hear of the arrancar roaming?"  
"Ah, yes, we've heard the rumors, but, you seem to be free at the moment."  
The substitute sighed, "shut up, you freakin' idiot. I helped you guys already, I said that I would come visit, but we're on a bit of a tight schedule. Besides, I can't."  
"Eh?!" Kenryuu panicked, "Lurichiyo-sama will be upset!"

Ichigo grabbed him by the collar in annoyance, "you're starting to piss me off. Just because I agreed, doesn't mean that I'll be available if she _beckons _me." After that said, he released him, "I have more important things to worry about, and at the moment, you're kind of in the way of things, Kenryuu."

"W-what will I tell her then?" The shinigami panicked.  
"I'll play, but after we take the arrancar down."  
There was a long silence, then he nodded, "understood."  
"Good." He thought about it, "but keep it quiet for now."  
"Understood, we will wait for your arrival in time."  
Finally he left, and Ichigo sighed, "stupid pest."

"What was that about?" Toushirou scowled at the substitute shinigami.  
"Nothing really, their bodyguards of a little girl, I had to help with that."  
"Another Soul Society matter? I haven't heard of it." He scowled.  
"It's… er…" his finger scratched his cheek in thought, "noble business?"  
Toushirou raised a curious eyebrow, "which clan then?"  
"That's classified for her own protection." Ichigo replied, grabbing his water.  
_'Then it must be a clan, if he's smart enough to say it's classified.'_

"Oi, Toushirou." Ichigo called out to the captain after a drink.  
After being called this, he vaguely accepted it, "what is it?"  
"How long have you been up? I remember sleeping after you."  
"I took a nap, is it against your rules for me?" He glared.

The substitute raised an interested eyebrow, "no… but what the heck is up with you?"  
"What does that supposed to mean?" Toushirou didn't like the sound of his voice.  
He sighed and laid down. Obviously the captain didn't know he had snapped rudely at him, so he mumbled a reply, "nothing… I guess I deserved or something."  
This irritated the captain a little bit—was it a human thing? "Fine."

Suddenly, his cell phone began to beep as well as Ichigo's badge.

Toushirou grabbed the cell phone and looked surprised, "it's… it's here." Suddenly there was a loud cry of a menos, so he hurried to look out the window. "Shit."  
"So it's that close, huh?" Asked the substitute shinigami gazed at the creature from the window over Toushirou's much smaller from. "So… that's a menos?"  
"It looks like an arrancar, but it's too big. Let Matsumoto handle it." Demanded the wounded one, but watched as Ichigo ignored him by getting his badge. "Kurosaki!"  
He turned into a hollow, "it's too close to you and my family, Rangiku-san's tired from fighting all the time." Grabbing Kon, he shook him awake. "Wake up!"  
"ACK!!" Kon looked around frantically, "I sense something, I sense something!!"  
Ichigo grabbed the pill from his mouth and placed it in his human body, "keep an eye on Toushirou, you got that?" With that he turned around to jump out the window.

But Toushirou stood up on the bed, and blocking the window.

"What are you doing?!" Ichigo growled.  
"You're body is too strained," he stated, "have Matsumoto do it."  
"There ain't no time to get her up and out of her gigai." The shinigami replied.  
"That's an order, Kurosaki." Toushirou glared at him with dominance.

"For one thing, you're not my taichou, no one is." He gripped Zangetsu. "Secondly, if you don't want people to protect you when you protect others, that's too bad. You guys are in my damn care in this house." With that, he went to the other window and hopped out as he apologized, "sorry Toushirou!"

"Kurosaki!" Toushirou roared furiously. "Stupid human…"

All he could do is watch from the window as the fool went up against the arrancar, it was obvious after a few minutes that it was an imperfect one though. He could sense that Ikkaku and Yumichika were on their way, and notice that Ichigo sensed it too. The captain listened to Ichigo's cursing, and something about this taking only seconds now as he raised his hand to his face. His eyes widened in confusion and fear as to the dark riatsu that the substitute shinigami was summoning, it was like a hollows. Soon, a hollow mask appeared over his face, and there he saw Ichigo's brown understanding eyes become those of a killing hollow. Before the captain could even blink, the imperfect arrancar was destroyed, and Ichigo's mask crumbled onto the street, and he collapsed on his knees as he took a couple breaths.

"Kurosaki!" Toushirou was about to jump out, but Kon grabbed him.  
"Stay in here where it's safe." The modified soul demanded.  
"The arrancar is gone, there's nothing to be afraid of." He glared.  
"Ichigo said to watch you!" Kon complained in annoyance.  
His attention turned to Ichigo, seeing Ikkaku and Yumichika at his side, "…"  
He looked at the captain, "Ichigo barely gives me commands, he kept me away from death, so I intend to obey those rules." Then added, "keeping you in here was that."  
Toushirou looked at the idiotic modified soul that was borrowing Ichigo's body. "Tch."

"Careful Ichigo." Ikkaku called out as he helped him in through the window.  
The substitute panted as he came in, "that was a rush I won't regret."  
"Ichigo! He didn't want to listen to me!" Kon whined, pointing at Toushirou.  
He looked at Kon, "oi, keep it down or you'll wake everyone up."  
"Okay," the modified soul piped down immediately and sat on the futon.  
"Keh, we come all this way to kick some ass, and you go and kill it!" Ikkaku hissed.  
Ichigo laughed tiredly, "well… couldn't let it hit this house ya know?"  
"What makes you think it would've come for this one?" Yumichika asked.

"My riatsu, Toushirou's riatsu, Rangiku-san's riatsu? That's almost like ringing a bell to say 'it's dinner time' or something." Ichigo stretched tiredly for the moment.  
"You look like shit though, not your clothes, but your face…" Ikkaku pointed out.  
"Kurosaki," Toushirou finally spoke, and yet still had a very stern tone.  
It even made Ichigo flinch, so he turned to the irritated captain who sat, "yeah?"  
"What you said before leaving your room," he glared, "don't repeat it, ever."  
Ichigo looked at him blankly a couple of seconds, thinking about what he said before he left, then he decided to ask about it, "uh… which part of it can't I repeat?"  
"All of it!" Growled the annoyed taichou before Rangiku bursted into the room.  
"Taichou! I felt a huge riatsu and it woke me up!" Stated the almost naked woman.

All four of the male shinigami had their faces turn deep shades of red before yelling in complete fear of seeing her flesh, even though she had garments on—which didn't hide her larger breasts whatsoever. So the highly embarrassed Toushirou yelled at his foolish lieutenant for dropping in on them. "GET OUT OF HERE MATSUMOTO!!"

(A/N: Soon, a IchiHitsu doujinshi that I am working on will be posted on deviantART. Be aware!)


	3. Chapter 03

**A/N:** Toushirou might start acting a little OOC in this from now on, but will see if it can STAY a little. Sorry for the lack of posting, but schools almost over, and I'm graduating too.

**Chapter 03**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

"For one thing, you're not my taichou, no one is." He gripped Zangetsu. "Secondly, if you don't want people to protect you when you protect others, that's too bad. You guys are in my damn care in this house." With that, he went to the other window and hopped out as he apologized, "sorry Toushirou!"

"Kurosaki!" Toushirou roared furiously. "Stupid human…"

All he could do is watch from the window as the fool went up against the arrancar, it was obvious after a few minutes that it was an imperfect one though. He could sense that Ikkaku and Yumichika were on their way, and notice that Ichigo sensed it too. The captain listened to Ichigo's cursing, and something about this taking only seconds now as he raised his hand to his face. His eyes widened in confusion and fear as to the dark riatsu that the substitute shinigami was summoning, it was like a hollows. Soon, a hollow mask appeared over his face, and there he saw Ichigo's brown understanding eyes become those of a killing hollow. Before the captain could even blink, the imperfect arrancar was destroyed, and Ichigo's mask crumbled onto the street, and he collapsed on his knees as he took a couple breaths.

"Kurosaki!" Toushirou was about to jump out, but Kon grabbed him.  
"Stay in here where it's safe." The modified soul demanded.  
"The arrancar is gone, there's nothing to be afraid of." He glared.  
"Ichigo said to watch you!" Kon complained in annoyance.  
His attention turned to Ichigo, seeing Ikkaku and Yumichika at his side, "…"  
He looked at the captain, "Ichigo barely gives me commands, he kept me away from death, so I intend to obey those rules." Then added, "keeping you in here was that."  
Toushirou looked at the idiotic modified soul that was borrowing Ichigo's body. "Tch."

"Careful Ichigo." Ikkaku called out as he helped him in through the window.  
The substitute panted as he came in, "that was a rush I won't regret."  
"Ichigo! He didn't want to listen to me!" Kon whined, pointing at Toushirou.  
He looked at Kon, "oi, keep it down or you'll wake everyone up."  
"Okay," the modified soul piped down immediately and sat on the futon.  
"Keh, we come all this way to kick some ass, and you go and kill it!" Ikkaku hissed.  
Ichigo laughed tiredly, "well… couldn't let it hit this house ya know?"  
"What makes you think it would've come for this one?" Yumichika asked.

"My riatsu, Toushirou's riatsu, Rangiku-san's riatsu? That's almost like ringing a bell to say 'it's dinner time' or something." Ichigo stretched tiredly for the moment.  
"You look like shit though, not your clothes, but your face…" Ikkaku pointed out.  
"Kurosaki," Toushirou finally spoke, and yet still had a very stern tone.  
It even made Ichigo flinch, so he turned to the irritated captain who sat, "yeah?"  
"What you said before leaving your room," he glared, "don't repeat it, ever."  
Ichigo looked at him blankly a couple of seconds, thinking about what he said before he left, then he decided to ask about it, "uh… which part of it can't I repeat?"  
"All of it!" Growled the annoyed taichou before Rangiku bursted into the room.  
"Taichou! I felt a huge riatsu and it woke me up!" Stated the almost naked woman.

All four of the male shinigami had their faces turn deep shades of red before yelling in complete fear of seeing her flesh, even though she had garments on—which didn't hide her larger breasts whatsoever. So the highly embarrassed Toushirou yelled at his foolish lieutenant for dropping in on them. "GET OUT OF HERE MATSUMOTO!!"

**- Now -**

Why was the tenth division captain reading this novel that Rangiku had thrown in his direction? Why was it that substitute shinigami allow her to buy this book to even begin with in the first place. Why was this highly revolting book actually so amusing when it was about two guys against the damn world.

The worst part was that they were lovers.

It would talk about their damn love that they had for each other and how they would express it to one another. Every time the door opened to Ichigo's room, he had to immediately hide the stupid novel from whoever came in. He was caught once with it, but thankfully it was Ichigo's most innocent sister who wanted to come vacuum the floor. That was two weeks ago; a week before he had the cast finally removed from his arm, but it was still weak, so Ichigo was helping him gain the strength.

Ichigo was at school today because it was really screwing up with his daily life—by watching Toushirou every day that was. Isshin and came bursting through the room, yelling and crying about how his grades were falling rapidly because he wasn't going to school. Toushirou could recall on how serious Ichigo was when he said that he, the captain, was more important than the schoolwork. Of course this threw his father off the edge and went crying to his deceased wife… what a weird family this was.

His eyes were glued on the page as it grew closer towards some material that he had never came across before. These two were in a hot spring out in the wilderness, both were touching each other with their 'heated' passion. The book in his hand had him wish that he was a kid so that he wouldn't be able to understand this stuff. He could feel a blush come crossing his cheeks as he read about the smaller guy placing a hand on the bigger ones chest while looking up to him in a pleading manner…

Ichigo knocked on the door, "oi, Hitsugaya, I'm coming in."

The bigger one looked down at the smaller guy with a tender smile before leaning down and kissing his lips. Toushirou's swallowed hesitantly, wondering why the characters never had names in the stupid novel. It was always the 'little one' and the 'big guy' in a simpler term, and the two never even say each others name! Damn him if he were to assume that the 'little one' was himself touching another guy's chest! Being the one who had been taking care of him, for the past eight weeks, Kurosaki Ichigo managed to flash through his mind and he cringed.

"Oh, ya reading a book?" The teen glanced over his shoulder to look.  
"Kurosaki!" Toushirou jumped in surprise. "You bastard!"  
He frowned at him, "what? I knocked before coming in. Didn't you feel my riatsu?"  
Being drawn to the book, he hadn't noticed either, but he mentally sighed to calm down, "that's not the point, you were over my shoulder Kurosaki. It's rude."  
"You've been acting a little weird since Rangiku-san gave you that book, what's it about?" He asked curiously; he had no clue what the woman had him buy.  
Toushirou looked at him, then the book, "oh," he put it at his side, "it's about death."

The substitute raised an eyebrow, then looked beyond him, "oi, Rangiku-san," this had the captain turn immediately because he thought she was there. So Ichigo took the opportunity and took the book from his hand to read a little, "death, huh?"

"K-Kurosaki!" Toushirou fumed angrily.

He couldn't do nothing to the idiot though, so he waited tensely as he watched him read a few lines and smirk. This made him blush in embarrassment and in frustration to be caught reading such a disgusting thing. But it was easily handed back to him in which he held in confusedly, then looked up at Ichigo to ask. The teen only smiled and said nothing about it, then set his stuff down before going to his wardrobe.

"So, you like that stuff?" He asked curiously.  
"It's not like that," Toushirou replied in his stoic tone.  
The teen frowned confusedly, "then why are you reading it?"  
"I just started to read it, and then continued," he answered truthfully.  
"How cute," Ichigo rustled his hair, "you got an addiction."  
The captain frowned when looking away and swatted his hand, "it's not like that."  
"Alright," he placed on different clothes to get out of the clothing.

He looked up at him, wondering why he wasn't poking fun at him, but his cell phone took his attention. Toushirou gabbed it and flipped it open to see the target and how big it was, it looked like a hollow. The two were the closest to it, so he looked up at Ichigo once more; indicating that the substitute had to go. Ichigo nodded and strangled Kon to grab the pill and took it, turning himself into a shinigami.

Once his jumped on the windowsill, he turned to look at Toushirou, "coming?"  
The captain crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow, "I'm allowed this time?"  
His eyes rolled at the mocking tone, "if you want, it'll be the first time for you."  
"Tch," he took his soul candy and left his gigai, "let's go then."  
"Yosh." The two left to find the hollow.

Kon collapsed onto the futon, "I'm so tired…"  
The artificial soul looked at him, "…you're making me tired."  
"Then laid down and sleep," he closed his eyes and passed out.  
"Okay." By misunderstanding, the small one laid with Kon.

"Oi, Hitsugaya! You want to take him down?" Ichigo called out.  
"Tch. Are you lazy?" He brought out his zanpakuto.  
"Sorry for offering it to you." The teen smirked.

As the hollow came running at Toushirou, he raised the zanpakuto to slice him, but immediately winced and accidentally dropped Hyorinmaru. Hurriedly he tried to grab it as he heard the huge creature coming closer while roaring loudly. He wasn't going to be fast enough, and Ichigo took a flash step to go in front of him, slicing the hollow quickly. The captain knew that the substitute was going to turn around with a cocky smirk, so he waited for it, completely expecting a laugh in the face.

Ichigo turned around to see him, "are you alright?"  
This surprised him, but he answered, "I'm fine."  
"Let's see your arm." He called out quietly.  
Toushirou extended his arm for him, "it's nothing."  
"Keh," once he flexed the captain's wrist, the captain winced.  
"A minor set back." He immediately declared.

The substitute shinigami looked at him with an disapproving look, but agreed, "yeah. Let's get going so we can wrap your wrist up a bit to support it."

"Kurosaki," he called out while the other was about to leave.  
"Hmm?" Ichigo turned to see what he wanted, "what is it?"  
"I've been curious about that night you fought last." The captain paused, staring at the ground in thought, "you summoned a mask, and it represented a hollows…"  
"Oh, you were watching?" He asked curiously, having the smaller one look at him in confusion. "Here," he summoned the mask, then pulled it off to show him. "See?"  
Toushirou reached out and held it cautiously, not knowing what to expect, "how?"  
"Some shinigami have two sources of power, some maybe even more," he started in a quiet tone, "mostly, shinigami have just their zanpakuto, and only that."  
"You have a hollow source of power?" The captain looked at him seriously.

"In Soul Society, I survive because of him, but I notice after the bounto that I was starting to lose control," Ichigo paused and started to walk off, "I found help within some former taichou and fukutaichou who've placed their hollows into submission."

"It's like receiving you bankai?" Toushirou asked curiously.  
"No," he replied in a whisper and stopped in place, "because if you lose to your hollow, you _**will**_ become a hollow, and you'll only get yourself killed."  
The mask crumpled in his hands, "what would've happened if you didn't do this?"  
"Then my soul would've been lost to the hollow within me." He demanded, "let's go."

Toushirou silently followed while in thought of having an 'inner' hollow, he had heard that previous captains and lieutenants learned about their own. Perhaps they were the ones who taught Ichigo how to tame his hollow, it reminded him of the big guy in the book. The man would protect the smaller one no matter how much he declines, and so the man would tell him over and over again that he would protect him. The two of them, the big guy and Ichigo always had to be so… dominant, it was rather annoying at some points. Realizing where his thoughts were going, he scoffed and shoved that out of his mind before it could trail any farther.

"Oi, you're falling behind." Ichigo called out from the distance.  
He looked forward, he really was falling behind, so he dashed forth in one leap and replied, "now am I still falling behind, Kurosaki?" He scolded.  
"Hmm…" he noticed the temper, but shrugged and leaped in his room. "…"  
Toushirou shoved him in, "don't just stand there-" he saw the same thing.

His gigai was curled up cozily against Ichigo's body, in which, was being occupied by the modified soul. He twitched at the scene, his cheeks flushing in frustration as he watched his body nuzzle against the other's chest. Jeez, this was just like in the stupid book that Rangiku had him read—the small one sleeping against the other!

"Should we wake them?" Ichigo asked a little nervously.  
He snapped out of it, and looked, "I'm not getting in the gigai like that."  
"Well… that can be arranged," the substitute mumbled.  
Toushirou looked at him, "what does that mean?"

Ichigo came over and carefully picked up the gigai, having the artificial soul turn and nuzzle against his chest now. The captain had to look away from this because he did not want to see the substitute holding his body in his arms. After he settled the gigai on the bed, he kicked Kon to have the pill pop out so he could shove it in the lion. He then entered his body and sat up with a exhausted sigh beneath his breath, then looked up at the white-haired boy. Toushirou finally turned to look to see is he was done, so he sighed and entered his body to sit up on the bed.

"Don't mention this to Matsumoto." Toushirou scowled viscously.  
He shrugged, "I won't," then he got up, "I'll see you later."  
The captain looked surprised, "where are you going?"  
"It doesn't matter, you probably want to finish that book, right?"  
"Tch, what makes you think that I would want to finish?" He glared.  
Ichigo rustled his hair daringly like earlier, "you're almost done anyway."  
Accidentally he blushed, so he smacked his hand away, "stop touching me."  
"Still moody, huh?" He shrugged, "I'll be back later. I think Rangiku-san wanted to take you somewhere later too, she asked me for some money earlier."

With that said, the substitute shinigami left the room in his casual clothes and went to where ever it was he was going to. Toushirou sighed in annoyance and glanced to the side at the book, then picked it up to read the back of it. The summary was so simple that he hated it; it said that the two didn't really like each other, and but they eventually grew close, and began to share a bond that grew deep as they traveled. He grunted in irritation when his thoughts placed him into the same situation since he had been in Ichigo's care for so long. Why did his mind keep going towards the idiotic substitute shinigami when it came to the novel?

In the book, the smaller one says that the bigger guy is attractive, and Ichigo wasn't.

Okay, so maybe he's attractive to a few women or something; Toushirou was aware of the crush Inoue Orihime had on him, and it seemed that Kuchiki did as well. So the teen was tall, strong, and protective, but did everyone forget that he was rather stupid or so? Then again, that wasn't all that true, he witnessed him studying for hours to do homework, his focus was so serious. Alright, credit had to be given to him; he was tall, strong, protective, smart, and what… completely insane?

Toushirou growled and scratched his head, "why am I thinking of this?"

He sighed as his lieutenants' voice popped into his head, teasing him on how he thinks Ichigo was attractive. Men were not attractive to other men, it wasn't natural to begin with; women are supposed to attract men and vice versa. Scratching his head again, he remembered how Ichigo had so willingly rustled his hair without a care of what the captain would do to him. Immediately he placed his hand down to stop thinking about that, this was going beyond disgusting and wrong. The captain would tell himself this once—and only once—that Kurosaki Ichigo was not attractive.

The table turned as he remembered seeing his body laying against Ichigo's, what the hell was the artificial soul thinking?! It was obvious that Kon did not force him to do anything because he was sleeping beneath the one who cuddled on top of him. There was a knock on the door so he put the novel under the pillow as the door opened to reveal Rangiku. He gave as usual scowl to her as she grinned so happily as she skipped over to the side of the bed with delight.

"Taichou, let's go somewhere because Ichigo left!" Rangiku cheered.  
"I thought you wanted me to 'obey' the rules." He then paused.

Obey.

Was he already falling like the smaller man in the book; becoming obedient and submissive to the larger man? He snapped out of the thought again—this was becoming so ridiculous that it was beginning to make him furious. Thankfully, oh so thankfully, his lieutenant brought him out of his complicated thoughts instantly.

"It's okay, you're better now! It'll be a secret!" Rangiku replied. "Please, oh please?"  
The captain sighed and got off the bed, "fine," so long as it distracts his mind now.  
"Okay, let's go!" She hurried out of the room. "I'll wait outside the clinic!!"  
Toushirou sighed and rubbed his face, _'why am I listening to her…?'_

**X-**

"Mat…su…moto…" growled the angered captain as they stood in front of a onsen.  
"What? The human world is different, they'll let you go alone." Rangiku stated.  
He glared continuously as they came up to the counter, "are you sure?"  
"Of course!" She then looked to the woman as happily as she possibly could, "can we go to the onsen? Him in the men's area and myself in the women's area please?"  
The woman glanced at Toushirou, then at Rangiku, "I'm sorry, he's too young to go to the men's area alone and, the kid should be accompanied by he's guardian."  
"K-kid?" Toushirou was about to retort, but they were in the human world.

"Can I use this phone?" Rangiku pointed to the clerks phone, and the woman nodded and she dialed a number, "moshi-moshi! Can you come pick up your little brother in the front please? I decided that we should come relax too! Please?" She begged, and they replied. "Thank you!" After hanging up, she smiled, "his brother is coming."

"My what?" Toushirou looked at her in disbelief.  
"Oh come on, you know who that is." She frowned.  
"Matsumoto…" the captain glared daggers at her.  
"Unless… let's bathe together!" Rangiku cheered.  
"What?! No!" Jeez, what a perverted woman!

"Hey, you picking on my brother Rangiku-san?" Ichigo called out.

Toushirou glanced at him, only to see him with a towel around his waist. "Kurosaki…"  
"Yo," he waved, then looked at her, "so much for keeping an eye on him, thanks…"  
"Aw, but you said you were going to an onsen, and it sounded so nice!" She frowned.  
Ichigo sighed and waved to the clerk, "it's okay, I'll keep an eye on him."  
"Very well," the clerk bowed, allowing Toushirou to accompany him.  
"Come on Toushirou," he turned behind the curtain.

The captain glared at Rangiku before following him.

After passing through the curtains, he saw that it was practically empty except for maybe a few men, but not many. He glanced around before seeing Ichigo, so he came over to see what he was doing, but he was just folding his clothes. This was actually a little new to the captain; he had refused to bathe with Rangiku when she offered it to him the last time, and so this was going to be first.

"Hurry and wash up, I'll meet you in the water." Ichigo called out.  
"What makes you think I know what I'm doing?" He glared.  
His interest raised, "you've never been in an onsen?"  
"Not really." The captain replied in annoyance.

"Alright, you take off your clothes, put them in the basket," then he pointed to the cubicles, "then you go get washed up before your go into the hot water," Ichigo saw that Toushirou understood each step that he mentioned to him, "you can wear a towel in the hot water if you want to, I don't know if you're self conscious."

Toushirou nearly snorted and began removing his clothes, "you're rude."  
The substitute shrugged, but thought about it, "do you need help washing?"  
"Excuse me?" He forced a blush to simmer down before it would appear.  
"Oi, don't get defensive," Ichigo retorted with a little surprise at the snap, "I just don't know if you can reach your back, that's all."  
His attention went to his wrapped wrist, it was best to not overdo it. "Fine."  
"Alright, I guess I'll go get the stuff ready." Ichigo walked off to a cubicle.

The captain sighed in frustration, he knew that Rangiku set him up for this.

_'If she's implying that I have interest in Kurosaki, she's wrong.'_ He thought to himself as he placed his clothes in the basket and wrapped a towel around his waist. _'I have no interest in another man, especially Kurosaki Ichigo.'_ Is cheeks flushed in obvious frustration as he walked over to the cubicles where the teen waited for him. _'I don't have any interest or attraction to this idiotic substitute shinigami. Damn novel…'_

"You seem lost Toushirou." Ichigo called out as he placed a hand on his forehead to check for a fever. "I hope the heat getting to you already, is it?"  
"Tch, I'm a taichou," he swatted his hand away and sat on the stool to clean up.  
"If you haven't noticed, _Hitsugaya taichou_, even you need help sometimes."

Damn it, he just had to say it.

When he started to call him by his title, it was only to rub it in his face now, and he hated the mocking appearance of it. The substitute was right though, after all, this was the guy who had been aided him for two long months. They were only thankful that something disastrous didn't occur during that period of time. He didn't even notice that he finished scrubbing himself down, or that Ichigo had taken the sponge.

Ichigo's hand was placed on his upper shoulder while the other hand had the sponge to clean his back. It startled the smaller one of the two when he touched him, but it went unnoticed as Ichigo cleansed his body. He stared at the ground in silence as if it was the best solution for the situation that he was in right now. This was new for him though, to be bathed by another person and be completely aware of it at least. Of course children were bathed by their elders because they couldn't or didn't know how, but he wasn't a child, but it still felt like it during this moment.

Out of nowhere it began to rain, and he looked up, only to see that Ichigo turned on the shower head to a decent temperature. It took it as a sign to rinse himself down and so he rubbed off all the suds from his body in silence. This silence though, it didn't seem like it was helping him, it was more like enticing his thoughts. Toushirou twitched when he felt Ichigo rubbing his back, rinsing the subs from his back in a gentle manner; he hated it. If the water wasn't just right, his body would've prickled with goosebumps at the touches from his strong callused hand. He looked at one of his own hands, noticing how it was more feminine than callused, but it didn't matter.

Ichigo rustled the captain's hair as he asked curiously. "You ready?"  
"Sure," he sighed as he began to get up from the stool.  
"Be careful though, you might slip." The teen warned.  
His eyes rolled, "please Kurosaki," but with one step, he slipped.  
Immediately the captain was caught in his arms, "told you."

Toushirou growled in frustration and pulled himself away, "hurry up," he decided to go first so that he could hide his embarrassed, yet again frustrated, little blush.  
"Hey, I only warned you through experience," the teen retorted as he followed.  
"Somehow that doesn't really surprise me Kurosaki." Replied the uncaring captain.

The two walked outside and placed themselves into the warm water, causing their faces to flush with approval. Ichigo walked over towards the rocks of the created hot spring and leaned against them comfortably. His eyes closed and his head tilted back against the rock wall behind him, allowing himself to relax. Toushirou looked at him with disbelief as to how that spot was any different from the spot where he himself was, but didn't want to ask. He admit that he found the area quite relaxing, it could be a great place to take a break every once in a while if it was possible.

Hearing the teen sigh in a distressed manner, he looked at him, see that he was staring up at the sky in thought, so he asked in his more serious tone, "what is it?"

"Hmm?" Ichigo hummed curiously, slowly bringing his attention down to look at him.  
"Don't play stupid with me Kurosaki, you heard me." Glared the irritated captain.  
"Oh," he shrugged, "just thinking about the fight ahead, it's obvious at some point."  
"Did you come to the onsen just to think about the arrancar?"  
"I came to get it off my mind," then he noticed something, "why are you sitting way over there," his hand swayed at him, "it's safer to come over here, hurry, hurry."  
Toushirou raised an eyebrow at him, "what's with you Kurosaki?"

A macaque jumped into the spring, startling the captain to no end as he jumped away from the psychotic creature. Wasting no time, he scurried to Ichigo's side to see what had nearly attacked him, and glared at the primate. Ichigo just bursted out with laughter—the reaction of the stoic captain was just too priceless to be ignored or held back. This earned him a menacing glare from the captain who angrily splashed the hot water at his face with frustration. The teen choked on the water as he still continued to laugh—even Toushirou scurrying to his side was unlike him!

Two minutes passed, and he finally calmed down, "their actually friendly here."  
"Couldn't you have warned me about them?" Scowled the smaller of the two.  
"I tried to," a younger female macaque came to the rock against Ichigo and he gave her his arm to climb on, "their here during the winter more than the summer."  
"You come here a lot then." He somewhat declared, receiving a nod.  
"I come here once every few months," Ichigo showed the young macaque to him up close, "wanna pet her? She likes humans the most, the manager calls her Ai."

"No thank you," Toushirou replied, feeling his head spin just a little.  
"Are you okay?" The teen asked curiously, having the creature do something else.  
He turned to him sharply, "why do you always ask that ridiculous question?"  
"It's not ridiculous if there's something wrong." Ichigo retorted.  
His eyes rolled, "there's nothing wrong, stop trying to baby me."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" He pondered curiously, but received no reply from the white-haired boy, so he shrugged, "alright then, sorry that I'm concerned about you Hitsugaya taichou." His voice was fully of uncaring emotions, causing the boy to flinch as he got up to get a small rag before sitting elsewhere.

Toushirou mentally huffed in his mind, he knew that he was too defensive over his height and his appearance of looking like a child. The substitute would only pull mild jokes ever so often, but it was something to have them bicker at one another. If anything was to be overestimated, it would be the concern that this teen had for him. His mind recalled all the times he stated that he could do something himself when he really couldn't, so once he started to do something with no prevail, Ichigo silently assisted him—even then he hated that.

"You know, you're kind of like ice," Ichigo spoke out, causing the captain to glare at him, but he smiled as he explained, "but did you know that ice can melt after some time?" He received a confused look from the glare, so the teen looked to the sky, "it's like winter and spring—no matter how cold it is right now, spring will come back."

Toushirou looked at him in surprise, then shook it off with a retort, "where did you read that? One of those Chinese fortune cookies or something?"

Sighing at his stubbornness, he looked at the time to see that they been in it for an hour, so he got up to get out. "It's about time to head to the lounge."  
The captain also sighed, but at annoyance towards his own confusion, "fine."  
"Get up slowly and walk through the water." Ichigo warned, waiting outside of it.  
"Tch, I know Kurosaki, I can read the sign." He pointed to the wall.  
His eyes rolled and counted down, _'three… two… one…'_ and there was a splash.

Ichigo came back into the hot spring and gathered Toushirou in his arms before calling out Rangiku's name because she was on the women's side next to theirs. After telling her to go get dressed, he walked inside so that he could get himself dried off and dressed. His attention went to the unconscious captain would did not heed his warning which caused him to collapse after getting immediately dizzy. It really didn't surprise him, after all, Toushirou said that it was his first time coming to an onsen, so it was alright. He dried on the small one and dressed him up before placing him up on his back securely with his arms wrapped around his neck. Finally after four minutes of waiting for the female shinigami in her gigai, the two made their journey to the Kurosaki clinic where lived as the captain remained silent.

**X-**

Toushirou stirred awake tiredly and felt something cool on his head—it was an ice pack, he knew it; after spending weeks with this item, he would know it all too well by now. He laid there quietly as he tried to remember what the last thing that had happened before waking up in what seemed to be Kurosaki Ichigo's room, causing him to vaguely remember now. His body hoisted up into a sitting position and looked around to find out that he was all alone in the room which actually surprised him since he was rarely alone when he's asleep. Glancing around, he saw a plate of sliced watermelon for him to snack on, and so he reached for one and ate it as he tried to gain memory of what had last happened to him.

There was a brief knock at the door, and Ichigo walked in, "oh, you're up."  
"…" Toushirou looked at him, somehow remember that he was shirtless before.  
"You got dizzy at the onsen and fell unconscious," he reminded, "I carried you here."  
Again with the 'I carried you' stuff, so the captain sighed, "thank you Kurosaki."  
"Don't worry about it," Ichigo smiled, "just eat up while I tell Rangiku-san you're up."


	4. Chapter 04

**Chapter 04 **

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

Toushirou mentally huffed in his mind, he knew that he was too defensive over his height and his appearance of looking like a child. The substitute would only pull mild jokes ever so often, but it was something to have them bicker at one another. If anything was to be overestimated, it would be the concern that this teen had for him. His mind recalled all the times he stated that he could do something himself when he really couldn't, so once he started to do something with no prevail, Ichigo silently assisted him—even then he hated that.

"You know, you're kind of like ice," Ichigo spoke out, causing the captain to glare at him, but he smiled as he explained, "but did you know that ice can melt after some time?" He received a confused look from the glare, so the teen looked to the sky, "it's like winter and spring—no matter how cold it is right now, spring will come back."

Toushirou looked at him in surprise, then shook it off with a retort, "where did you read that? One of those Chinese fortune cookies or something?"

Sighing at his stubbornness, he looked at the time to see that they been in it for an hour, so he got up to get out. "It's about time to head to the lounge."  
The captain also sighed, but at annoyance towards his own confusion, "fine."  
"Get up slowly and walk through the water." Ichigo warned, waiting outside of it.  
"Tch, I know Kurosaki, I can read the sign." He pointed to the wall.  
His eyes rolled and counted down, _'three… two… one…'_ and there was a splash.

Ichigo came back into the hot spring and gathered Toushirou in his arms before calling out Rangiku's name because she was on the women's side next to theirs. After telling her to go get dressed, he walked inside so that he could get himself dried off and dressed. His attention went to the unconscious captain would did not heed his warning which caused him to collapse after getting immediately dizzy. It really didn't surprise him, after all, Toushirou said that it was his first time coming to an onsen, so it was alright. He dried on the small one and dressed him up before placing him up on his back securely with his arms wrapped around his neck. Finally after four minutes of waiting for the female shinigami in her gigai, the two made their journey to the Kurosaki clinic where lived as the captain remained silent.

**X-**

Toushirou stirred awake tiredly and felt something cool on his head—it was an ice pack, he knew it; after spending weeks with this item, he would know it all too well by now. He laid there quietly as he tried to remember what the last thing that had happened before waking up in what seemed to be Kurosaki Ichigo's room, causing him to vaguely remember now. His body hoisted up into a sitting position and looked around to find out that he was all alone in the room which actually surprised him since he was rarely alone when he's asleep. Glancing around, he saw a plate of sliced watermelon for him to snack on, and so he reached for one and ate it as he tried to gain memory of what had last happened to him.

There was a brief knock at the door, and Ichigo walked in, "oh, you're up."  
"…" Toushirou looked at him, somehow remember that he was shirtless before.  
"You got dizzy at the onsen and fell unconscious," he reminded, "I carried you here."  
Again with the 'I carried you' stuff, so the captain sighed, "thank you Kurosaki."  
"Don't worry about it," Ichigo smiled, "just eat up while I tell Rangiku-san you're up."

**- Now -**

The captain regretted the fact that he had finished that book, there were so many sexual scenes between two men that he couldn't even look at Ichigo without having some sorting of embarrassed or flustered blush when thinking about it. Three days after the onsen he had mentally admitted to himself that Kurosaki Ichigo could be considered attractive to many, unfortunately including himself in that group of people who thought the same about the substitute shinigami. Having this being finally agree on and settled into his mind, permanently, he told himself that he would not perform any actions based on this and keep a leveled head because there was still a very important mission to consider. This thought however was before his stupid lieutenant shoved a magazine in his face and told him that there was some sort of love quiz inside, and so he threw it away and told her to leave the room because she didn't knock. Love. That was not a word that he wanted to hear during his frustrated time with himself and his very conflicted feelings, at one point, Ichigo went out to kill a hollow, and Toushirou took the opportunity to separate from the gigai and ask the artificial soul about something.

It turned out that the artificial said that Ichigo's body was comfortable to lay against.

Good things get any worse for the youngest captain of the Gotei 13, that was all that he would like to know. He was going to kill himself if he somehow managed to fall for this strong idiotic man that had been taking good care of him. Again he thought of something that gave Ichigo a positive characteristic, and it drove him mad on the inside. The captain could only be so thankfully that he could look so coldly at others while going insane in his mind. It was something that was slowly being seen through by the substitute shinigami though, and it had him embarrassed. Toushirou at one point had asked for his opinion on how love should be like because of the book.

"_Love is just a deep feeling of desire and attraction, if two people love each other, then there's really nothing that anyone can say." Ichigo looked at the ceiling, laying down with his hands behind his head. "Love is strong, so gender shouldn't matter."_

"Kurosaki, you bastard," Toushirou growled in annoyance and scratched his head when remembering him saying all of this. Was it a sign that he knew that the small captain was getting attracted to him? _'That can't be, I'm only conflicted when he's gone. I don't show him any emotion that could possibly lead him to suspicion…'_

It was already the middle of the night, and Ichigo was dead asleep with his quiet snores and even breathing. This was taunting the small captain to just lay against him, to find out if the artificial soul was correct. Even Rangiku chirped about how it felt so nice to lay against a well built man, and he cursed her for it, over and over.

Toushirou looked at Ichigo on the futon stoically, wondering why he felt the need to just lay with him once. He knew that if he was caught, there was no escaping the teasing from the substitute shinigami or the lieutenant. The captain would have no excuse as to why he was sleeping next to the substitute shinigami, not one. His mind began to battle against acting childish and 'cuddle' next to him, or shove the thought away and go to sleep. This had kept him up for quite a few hours though, so he was obviously getting a little frustrated at the moment, watching the teen sleep.

Slowly, he lowered himself off the bed and onto the ground, then slowly sit at the side of the futon, watching the teen for movements. He turned away and took a few breaths to calm his mind—this 'off duty' time has really gotten to him. Two minutes later he turned back to Ichigo and tried to lay down on what little space that was available so he wouldn't stir him awake. His head slowly leaned against the teen's arm, then lifted his head to make sure that he was still asleep, then began to lay-

"Toushirou." Ichigo called out in a light tone, causing the captain to flinch.  
Yeah… it was obvious, he was caught. So he sat up, "what is it?"  
"Hurry up." With that said, he scooted over a little for him.  
The captain looked at him, "I don't understand."

"Just shut up and go to sleep, your riatsu is so heavy right now that neither of us can sleep." The substitute shinigami called out tiredly while mumbling tiredly, "I don't care how you sleep, just get comfortable to loosen up."

"What makes you think I want to sleep next to you?" He asked, and had no reply.

He lost the confidence to try laying next to the teen, so he got up and laid on the bed quietly in confusion. His eyes closed tiredly in exhaustion for just a brief, then heard his cell phone beep to warn them of a hollow. Toushirou watched as Ichigo grabbed the cell phone and looked at it, then made it stop, causing the captain to scowl.

"You idiot, what if the-" the captain was interrupted.  
"It's closer to Ikkaku and Yumichika, let them handle it." He stated.  
"That doesn't give you the right-" Toushirou shut his mouth as Ichigo sat up.  
"Didn't I say go to sleep?" Ichigo growled. "Forget it, I'll sleep downstairs."  
"…?" What the hell was with his attitude? Was it because he tried to sleep with him?

After about three minutes of picking his brain, Toushirou got up and went downstairs to apologize for trying to sleep with him. He expected him to be on the couch in the family room, but he wasn't, so where could he really be? Hearing the water from the sink hopefully gave him a clue, so he quietly walked into the kitchen and looked at him, it was almost like he was sick. Ichigo splashed water against his face before grabbing a clean kitchen towel to dry off his face before turning to the captain.

"I'm sorry for being rude." Toushirou stated. "I don't know what came over me."  
"Don't worry about it, just go get some sleep Hitsugaya." Replied the tired teen.  
"If you're upset about it, you can sleep upstairs because it's your-"  
"I said don't worry about it." He came up to him and rustled his hair, "go upstairs."  
His hand swatted the teen's hand away, "don't treat me like a child."  
"Then don't look like you're a child." Ichigo replied easily.  
"Even adults can have trouble sleeping you idiot."

"Is that why you were trying to sneak into my covers?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow, then saw the captain turn his attention to the ground, feeling like a child. "Come on," he turned Toushirou around and headed him up to the stairs, obviously guiding him all the way up there, "I'll let you lay with me for the night Toushirou."

"It's Hitsugaya taichou to you," Toushirou replied dully.

The two went to his room and Ichigo had him lay on the futon first as he closed and locked the door and windows; not trusting the others. He turned to the small captain afterwards to see his cheeks mildly flushed, so he came down onto the futon and checked his forehead. Toushirou batted his hand away and buried his face into the pillow to hide the increasing blush on his cheeks. This made the teen sigh a bit, but he laid down on the futon next to him under the covers as the small one did.

He waited for about ten minutes till he heard Ichigo snore quietly before he came closer to him and rest his head silently against his chest. The artificial soul was right, Ichigo's body was comfortable to lay against, so he had no trouble falling asleep. As he fell into his deep slumber, Ichigo opened his eyes to see that Toushirou seemed to be more at ease than he had been for the past few weeks. His hand came up and gently caressed his soft white strands, causing the small captain to lightly moan in his sleep as he continued. It only lasted about two minutes before he stopped and merely rested his hand on Toushirou's waist, allowing him to nuzzle against him.

'_I'm sorry, Toushirou…'_ He whispered in his mind.

**X-**

He waited for his mind to fully wake up before opening his eyes because his body felt too comfortable to move. His hand slightly moved, it was against something nice and warm—so he gently grasped it and nuzzled against his pillow. Toushirou didn't want to wake up just yet, not when he had an actual good time sleeping, it was too soon. Something shifted away from his waist which was leaving that part of him to get cold, so he grabbed whatever it was and placed it back in place, this time against his skin. The feeling of it was now twice as warm beneath his shirt, but it shifted away and he growled in frustration to it. Soon, soft rustling against his head appeared, so his mind settled down for this as the substitute for the missing warmth.

Substitute…

His eyes widened and flung away from the substitute shinigami in complete shock and embarrassment to the situation. It was his hand that he had place against him and beneath his shirt, he allowed him to touch his body. Ichigo couldn't help but chuckle at his violent reaction, it was just too funny to let it pass by him. The small captain's face was entirely red when he fully understood that he had been wrapped in Ichigo's arms the rest of the night, and didn't he just nuzzle against Ichigo as well?!

"Calm down," the teen called out, sitting up slowly, "I wasn't trying to molest you."  
"S-shut up Kurosaki, that isn't funny." He replied, still recovering from shock.  
Ichigo couldn't help but laugh a little more before calming down and replying calmly, "you're the one that wanted to lay down with me so you could sleep better."  
"…" He didn't want to recall this, and he looked away nervously.  
"It's alright Toushirou, stop worrying so much on it." The teen stated.  
Toushirou glanced at him, "you won't tell Matsumoto or the others about this…?"  
"Nah," he replied, "the fact that you're finally opening up to me is a good sign that your ice is starting to melt—at least towards me." He smiled, "I won't go against it."

"About last night, why were you really mad?" The captain asked.

There was a long silence between the two, a very long one, and it was causing a bit of discomfort as well. Ichigo then got up from the futon and pulled off his shirt and began to get changed for the day. Toushirou remembered that he had school today, so it was probably best to not complicate things so early in the morning. That was until the teen came over and rustled his hair, instant having it smacked away.

"Get ready," Ichigo demanded lightly.  
He raised an eyebrow at this. "Why?"  
"Well, if you want to stay here, never mind, I'll go on a walk alone."  
The captain sighed and began to get dressed, "you're skipping today?"  
"It's a holiday, there's no school." He looked at him coolly as he stated, "if you hurry up a little more, I'll take you to breakfast at a restaurant or something."  
"Don't bribe me Kurosaki." He sighed in annoyance.

Once they finished talking, he took him out to eat breakfast at a small restaurant that had some good food. Toushirou said that he would rather eat something that didn't have to look 'exquisite' so to speak. Ichigo could only smirk at his light complaints, knowing that he could go father than that, but because he was treated to the meal, he was behaving. The two ate for the hour before going out on a walk alongside the river where many battles had taken place.

"I realized something before I went to Soul Society for the first time." Ichigo spoke quietly, stopping in his tracks as did Toushirou, "Rukia was the one that made me notice this though," he looked at the captain calmly, "I can't truly get close to other shinigami, as much as I would even like to, I just can't."

His brows furrowed, "why is that?"  
"I'm human." He replied easily.  
Toushirou snorted, "so what?"

"Compared to you guys in Soul Society, humans have a shorter life span." He took a minute to think about it, "I'm sure if I'm not careless, I could live to be about eighty years-old." He looked at Toushirou, "but even if I make it to Soul Society, that doesn't mean I will be able to keep my memories, do you understand that?"

Toushirou looked to the ground, a little surprised that he was being so serious, but he attempted to reply, "but you're obviously a shinigami, you can probably keep-"  
"I had to become a shinigami, that doesn't mean I'm half shinigami." He interrupted.  
"It may be rare to keep ones memory when coming through to Soul Society, but you and I both know that it's possible." The captain replied quietly.

A hand went to the small captain's head and smiled, "I'm telling you this before you start to get attached to a me Toushirou, I'll die before you, …and you know it."

That's what it was.

It wasn't only that he was attracted to Ichigo, but he was becoming attached to him as well without realizing it. He managed to feel disgusted with himself for becoming so engulfed into this type of human affair, even if this teen was part shinigami. All things in the human world had to come to an end, and Kurosaki Ichigo was not any different from that. Still, when he died, there was a slim chance that he would not have any memory of anything, …like a blank. During these last four weeks, he had somehow managed to get a human attachment without realizing it, so much for being a captain then. His head was lightly pulled forth against Ichigo's chest, and he silently allowed it, just this once while his mind was in turmoil.

So it was true that Ichigo could see that he was becoming attached to him one way or another during the time together. It was bound to be noticed though because of how much time the two had been spending together, usually alone. His smaller, more feminine hands, came up and lightly grasped onto Ichigo's shirt, wondering why the teen was doing this to him. Toushirou felt him caress his head in a very gentle manner, trying to soothe the small one the best he could. The captain only closed his eyes and silently allowed it, just this once while his mind was in turmoil.

"Why are you saying it now, as if you were going to disappear soon?"

Ichigo became startled at the small one's tone of voice; it was quieter and sounded like it would break somehow. He should have expected it one way or the other and just sighed with a little frustration—he should've told him last week at the onsen. His timing was always bad though, and because of it, the serious captain had managed to crumple up against him, and his mature act became childish. The substitute knew that he shouldn't have said it to him, but it had to be done if the captain—

"Why did you tell me this?" Toushirou sounded a little more confident now.  
"If you're going to get more attached to me, then it's something to think about."  
His hands tightened on the substitute's shirt. "So what does that mean?"

"If you accept the fact that I will die before you, I won't care if you want to continue becoming attached to me, and I won't shove you away." Ichigo then added. "But if you can't accept it, then I have to break that bond somehow or it might hurt you."

"I'm a taichou you imbecile." Retorted the captain, releasing the teen to look at him and swatted his hand off of his head, "I can handle a death, especially a human's."  
"But even if you see me again, are you sure that you can accept that I might not know who the heck you are?" He asked the main question.  
Toushirou kicked his knee, "I'll make you remember everything you bastard!"  
"Ow!" Ichigo fell over, holding his knee. "What was that for!"  
"For making me feel like a kid you bastard." He scowled.  
The teen huffed, "well next time I think that you looking like a kid, I'll discard it!"  
Toushirou looked at him for a moment, then blushed and looked away, "shut up."

He smirked at that and stood up, "so, you accept future consequences, huh?"  
"I said I can handle it." The captain crossed his arms in defiance.  
His hand came out to him, "then let's go home before Rangiku-san worries."  
Toushirou looked up at him, then at his hand, …then held it, "fine."  
"Don't 'fine' me, how rude." The teen scoffed at the small one.  
"I will if I want to." He replied defiantly once again.

Ichigo wrapped his arm around his neck and gave him a noogie, "look at you! You're just screaming to me that you're a kid wanting his ass to get kicked, jeez!" After he released him, he began to run off, "I'll meet you at the house, you're slow!"

"Kurosaki you bastard!" Toushirou chased after angrily, not realizing his behavior.

**X-**

Just a week after things eased up for Toushirou—allowing him to actually become a little comfortable with Ichigo, the worst happens, three of the Espada came crashing down on their happy parade. Kisuke fought against Yammy for as long as he could while Toushirou, Rangiku, Ikkaku, and Yumichika fought against the new sixth Espada, leaving the former sixth Espada to Kurosaki Ichigo, in which, he managed to get completely beaten up as Rukia arrived to help him. They all wondered why the three had stopped and just left, claiming that they already had what they wanted, and Toushirou couldn't help but worry over Ichigo—he knew that the substitute was facing the worst injuries one way or another, and he hated it. When everything was dealt with, Ikkaku and Yumichika went back to the apartment, Kisuke went back to his shop to give the news to Yasutora and Renji, and the rest brought Ichigo back to the Kurosaki clinic to be fixed up, but once he woke, he was violent towards them.

"Leave us," Toushirou demanded, crossing his arms as he stared at Ichigo.  
"Yes taichou," Rangiku and Rukia replied, quickly leaving the room as told.  
Ichigo felt one of those 'I'm a taichou so listen up' lectures coming, and sighed. "…"  
The captain knew that he was expecting it as well, and loosened, "what is it?"  
"I trained so hard, and I still can't defeat Grimmjow…" he whispered in frustration.  
"The Espada are much more stronger than a taichou, but in time you'll be stronger than him." Toushirou stated, and watched as Ichigo hit the wall with his first angrily.  
"I can't protect others if I can't win!" The teen yelled, then cringed at the pain.

The captain couldn't resist frowning as he reached up and placed his own hand on his, feeling him tense up immediately at this, "you're not fighting alone, Kurosaki."  
"Rukia left to Soul Society with Inoue… where is she?" He asked out his thoughts.  
"Laid down and rest, I'll go put the other two on orders." Toushirou stated.  
"Tch!" His body however obeyed as he grew more frustrated.

After leaving the room, he went downstairs to the two, "where is Inoue Orihime?"  
"She left Soul Society after me… she should be here soon." Rukia replied.  
"In that case, go keep an eye on Abarai, train with him if you want."  
"Yes sir," she turned around to leave, but turned back, "but Ichigo's-"  
"I'll watch over the idiot." Toushirou stated sternly, and she left. "Matsumoto."  
"Yes taichou?" Matsumoto looked at him curiously.  
"Go to Inoue Orihime's residence and wait for her there, also give a report."  
"Are you sure you want to be alone with Ichigo? He's seems upset." She frowned.

"I can manage, it's not like he'll get up and attack me." Toushirou stated. "Now go."

It didn't take long for the two girls to leave, and so he went upstairs into Ichigo's room and locked it as a habit now. The upset substitute shinigami laid on his side with his back facing him, causing him to sigh and sit on the bed. He too was a little unhappy that they were merely ponds in the Espada's game today, he hated it too. Toushirou quietly laid next to the teen and buried his face against his back, causing him to tense at the touch, so the tall one had to speak.

"It's okay Toushirou," Ichigo whispered, "I don't need to be comforted…"  
"Shut up and turn around." Demanded the smaller of the two.  
His body turned around and looked at him, pain in his eyes, "…"  
"You know that it isn't your fault that you lost Kurosaki, if anything, we all did."  
"I don't want to talk about it anymore Toushirou." The teen stated a little sternly.

Accepting this from the substitute shinigami, he grabbed the covers of the bed and laid it over them so that he could nuzzle against his bare chest. He was thankfully that Ichigo loosened up after a little while and wrapped a strong arm around his smaller waist—he was more secure that Ichigo was a little better. They fell into a light slumber; one had minor dreams as the other drifted into horrid nightmares. The two of them would wake occasionally to the cell phone ringing, but each time it was ignore for the sake of their small relationship. Toushirou will admit that he was the more submissive of the two because he would desire Ichigo's touch more than vice versa, so whatever the call was about, it would have to wait. Though the fifth call started to irritate Ichigo, so he reached into Toushirou's pocket and looked at the caller ID to see that it was Rangiku, so he sighed in annoyance and answered.

"What?" Ichigo asked angrily.  
"…where's taichou?" Rangiku asked.  
"He fell asleep." He technically lied.  
"When he wakes, tell him there's no news."  
"Sure." The teen replied. "That's it?"  
"Yes… are you okay?"

Ichigo looked down at Toushirou who was looking up at him, obviously listening to the conversation. "Yeah," he sighed tiredly, "I'm fine, I just need to rest too."

With that said, the two ended the call, and Toushirou sighed softly. "Rest Kurosaki."  
"Shut up," the teen demanded tiredly, as he closed his eyes, "I'm trying to."  
"…" he frowned once again, and lightly placed his lips against his chest to kiss him.  
"Don't Toushirou, I need to heal a little more." Ichigo caressed the captain's hair.  
His head nodded, "I understand," so he leaned more against him and went to sleep.

Then substitute shinigami didn't sleep though, he knew that something bad was going to happen, but he wasn't sure what it was. To keep himself focused on other things, he kept watch on Toushirou as he slept against his form. It was obvious to him that he had broken through that icy barrier and had the captain loosen for him. He didn't expect himself to get attached to the smaller one against him, but it came out of instinct when they spent so much time together. They were slow with every detail of a relationship, so they would only sleep together and give just a bit of some attention to another. Ichigo was the one who would usually give it to him though—it was because Toushirou would attempt asking but flake out. His face cringed when feeling a wound stretching open, and so he released the sleeping captain and sat up.

Toushirou stirred at the heavy movements and looked at him, "Kurosaki?"  
"Go back to sleep, I need to patch up an open wound again." He replied.  
The captain also sat up, looking at him with a scowl. "What is it, really?"  
"Nothing, my wound really opened," to prove it, he undressed a wound.  
Getting up, he went to the opposite side of the desk and grabbed the kit, "here."  
"Thanks," Ichigo sighed and cleaned up the wound and patched up like he said.  
"You're still tense Kurosaki," his feminine hand came up to check his forehead.

"Toushirou," the substitute said firmly, catching his hand softly before he could touch him, "what the Espada said—that they have what they wanted," he paused for the moment, "what do you think that was?" His hand released his after putting it on the bed. "Inoue is late, it's not like her, and I don't like it… something's wrong."

"Matsumoto is waiting for her." The captain replied quietly for the teen.  
"Never mind," he sighed, "I have a feeling something will happen tomorrow."  
"Something like what Kurosaki?" Toushirou hated when he never explained.  
"You guys are gonna have to go back to Soul Society to find out what is was."  
This played through his mind, seeing how it would actually come to that, "maybe."  
"Then it's best that you go wait at Inoue's place-" Ichigo was interrupted by a slap in the face; it wasn't exactly hard, but enough to surprise him, "…"  
"Matsumoto will call again if it's important, such as reports in Soul Society and on Inoue Orihime, idiot." The captain crossed his arms. "If you want me to go, say it."  
He rubbed his face while adjusting his jaw, "you put some spiritual power in that."  
"Do you want me to go then, Kurosaki?" Toushirou asked sternly.

Sighing softly he brought the captain into his lap and wrapped an arm around his stubborn form, replying, "I want you to stay, you don't need to get defensive."

The captain brushed his words off as if he didn't care whatsoever, so Ichigo brushed his lips against his ear, causing him to shiver at the touch. This small captain could be as serious and mature all he wanted, but it wasn't enough to fool this teen. His teasing always got to the captain no matter what, so he was trying to fight it off this time because he was still angry. But now that substitute was beginning to cheat by using his hands in the process of the teasing; caressing the small one's stomach. He tried to fidget away, but there was no use as a blush crept along his face—he hated this sometimes, how his body wanted the attention but not his mind…

"K-Kurosaki, you bastard…" his hands went on the teen's legs; a new habit of when he showed that he wanted the attention that Ichigo would give him, "d-damn it."

"Just shut up, kid." Ichigo whispered softly, pulling off Toushirou's shirt. "You're only angry that I was reckless when fighting alone," his hands traced his body, as if giving him a massage but only lighter than one. He brushed his lips against his ear again before whispering into his captain's ear, "I'm sorry that you were worried."

Toushirou tried to fight off the panting as the teen taunted him little by little, his body was becoming heated. "I thought you were injured Kurosaki…"  
"I'll use all my energy to loosen you up." He replied quietly, knowing how far the captain could be teased before losing control.  
"What are you implying?" The captain swallowed slowly. "I don't need to be loosen-"  
"You know better than to lie," with that, Ichigo went for the kill for the first time.

"…I-Ichigo…"

**X-**

Everyone came to Inoue Orihime's residence and talked to Jyuushirou Ukitake about her whereabouts, causing Ichigo to argue, saying that he didn't know how—but his body was healed and that he could feel her riatsu. The head captain then appeared and demanded that the all official shinigami had to return to Soul Society, so the unofficial one requested a way to go alone. This irritated Toushirou, but didn't say a word as Yamamoto declined his request, saying that they needed him for the war; but he knew better than that, Ichigo would find a way. A senkaimon opened slowly with hell butterflies, revealing Kuchiki Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi, this was for assurance that there would be no fighting against orders, so they obeyed.

Toushirou looked at Ichigo, seeing defiance in his eyes, "don't do something foolish."  
"I told you that you would leave the next day." He stated quietly. "Go on Toushirou."  
His tone became stern, "I mean it, if you go after them, I'll kill you myself."  
"Everything will be fine," the teen looked at him calmly. "Go."

With that, Toushirou left with Rangiku and the others, and Rukia looked at Ichigo with a worried expression as he turned away angrily, "…Ichigo?"

He didn't reply, so she left with the others.


	5. Chapter 05

**Chapter 05**

Winters Warm Breath

- Previously -

The captain brushed his words off as if he didn't care whatsoever, so Ichigo brushed his lips against his ear, causing him to shiver at the touch. This small captain could be as serious and mature all he wanted, but it wasn't enough to fool this teen. His teasing always got to the captain no matter what, so he was trying to fight it off this time because he was still angrily. But now that substitute was beginning to cheat by using his hands in the process of the teasing; caressing the small one's stomach. He tried to fidget away, but there was no use as a blush crept along his face—he hated this sometimes, how his body wanted the attention but not his mind…

"K-Kurosaki, you bastard…" his hands went on his legs; a new habit of his when he showed that he wanted the attention that Ichigo would give him, "d-damn it."

"Just shut up, kid." Ichigo whispered softly, pulling off Toushirou's shirt. "You're only angry that I was reckless when fighting alone," his hands traced his body, as if giving him a massage but only lighter than one. He brushed his lips against his ear again before whispering into his captain's ear, "I'm sorry that you were worried."

Toushirou tried to fight off the panting as the teen taunted him little by little, his body was becoming heated. "I thought you were injured Kurosaki…"  
"I'll use all my energy to loosen you up." He replied quietly, knowing how far the captain could be tease before losing control.  
"What are you implying?" The captain swallowed slowly. "I don't need to be loosen-"  
"You know better than to lie," with that, Ichigo went for the kill for the first time.

"…I-Ichigo…"

**X-**

Everyone came to Inoue Orihime's residence and talked to Jyuushirou Ukitake about her whereabouts, causing Ichigo to argue, saying that he didn't know how—but his body was healed and that he could feel her riatsu. The head captain then appeared and demanded that the all official shinigami had to return to Soul Society, so the unofficial one requested a way to go alone. This irritated Toushirou, but didn't say a word as Yamamoto declined his request, saying that they needed him for the war; but he knew better than that, Ichigo would find a way. A senkaimon opened slowly with hell butterflies, revealing Kuchiki Byakuya and Zaraki Kenpachi, this was for assurance that there would be no fighting against orders, so they obeyed.

Toushirou looked at Ichigo, seeing defiance in his eyes, "don't do something foolish."  
"I told you that you would leave the next day." He stated quietly. "Go on Toushirou."  
His tone became stern, "I mean it, if you go after them, I'll kill you myself."  
"Everything will be fine," the teen looked at him calmly. "Go."

With that, Toushirou left with Rangiku and the others, and Rukia looked at Ichigo with a worried expression as he turned away angrily, "…Ichigo?"

He didn't reply, so she left with the others.

**- Now -**

"Taichou, are you done making the reports?" Rangiku called out.

It had been two years since that hellish nightmare between the arrancar and the three former captains. So many had shed blood to keep both earth and Soul Society protected, but only one death had irritated him. Kurosaki Ichigo had decided to go off with his friends to save Inoue Orihime, and even with the help of three captains and managed to leave Hueco Mundo to fight, Aizen Sousuke killed him. Everyone witnessed the youngest captain snap in rage and came forth to kill him, this startled everyone.

"Taichou…" Rangiku called at, and he looked at her fiercely. "…the reports?"  
He glanced at the finished reports and looked at the desk, "take them."  
"Yes sir," the lieutenant frowned as she grabbed them and left.

The head captain hand sent a search party out to earth and all around Soul Society to find the unofficial shinigami, but there was no traces. If only he had not taught him how to use kido, then maybe they could find him one way or another. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was one place or another instead of between them, no, Kurosaki Ichigo was far more stronger than that. But then why wasn't he allowing them to find him—he should know that it was eating up the small captain inside. To him, it was like he'll knock on the door twice before coming in saying 'sorry I'm late, hope ya didn't worry' or something like that.

Toushirou sighed and left his office to go patrol around the unit that was under his supervision, and no doubt Rangiku would look for him after she was done. Everyone was worried about him since that outburst of fury two years ago, it could have only been caused by powerful emotions. True that Abarai Renji and Kuchiki Rukia wanted to do just the same thing, but they were too weak from their fights. Inoue Orihime stated that she could bring him back, but… there were no remains of the teen. A hell butterfly appeared at his shoulder to snap him out of his thoughts, telling him that there would be a meeting tomorrow to greet the new captain of the fifth division.

Great.

Only recently did he accept the captain of the third division, but now they found one for the fifth? It was taking longer than expected for them, but it didn't matter. He was going to be more concerned with the fifth captain because of Hinamori Momo, the lieutenant of that division. Thoughts ran through his head, how Momo had really begged him to save Sousuke, but he couldn't even do that. Everything had made sense after Ichigo's death; why he was harsh about the relationship, why they had did the bonding act before they were in separate worlds. It was like he knew that he was going to get stronger, but somehow die along the way, and he was right.

"Taichou!" Rangiku called out happily. "I've been looking for you!"

He turned to the cheerful lieutenant of his, wondering how long they had been at each others side, since he became a shinigami? No, just a little before that, it was during the time Hyorinmaru was calling out to him to be wielded. Toushirou always saw that glint of worry in her eyes nowadays, even if she were to smile so happily.

"What is it Matsumoto?" The captain asked.  
"Did you know the fifth division is getting a new taichou?!"  
He sighed in annoyance, "I'm a taichou you know…"  
"Did Hinamori learn bankai?" She pondered out loud.  
"It's unlikely. This taichou is said to be a man."

"I wonder if it's…" Rangiku trailed off, knowing that she shouldn't say his name.  
"I doubt that it's Kurosaki Ichigo," he replied, "or else I really _**would**_ kill him."  
The lieutenant blinked in confusion, "but… you seem to be so tensed about finding-"  
"I'll kill him for not listening to me," his spiritual power rose lightly in anger.

"A thousand apologies Hitsugaya taichou, Matsumoto fukutaichou!" A shinigami called out; it was the seventh officer of the squad, Takezoe Koukichirou.  
"What do you want?" The captain asked stoically, looking at the officer.  
"Hinamori fukutaichou of the fifth division is waiting at your office sir."  
He fell silent, "…" it was going to be about the new captain, he knew it.  
"Did she say her reasons?" Rangiku asked quietly for him.  
"No ma'am, only that it was urgent." Koukichirou replied.

"Then it's no doubt about the new captain," Toushirou spoke in annoyance, "either to say that they do not need one, or to follow up on him one way or another."  
"Do you have orders sir?" He asked in his professional 'I will obey' tone.  
"There's no avoiding her." The captain walked back to the office, "thank you."  
"You're welcome sir!" Koukichirou replied, bowing his head to him.  
"Do you want me to come taichou." Rangiku asked as he was leaving.  
"It doesn't matter." Toushirou replied.

Once he arrived at the office, he opened the sliding door to see Hinamori Momo just sitting on the couch like a worried wreck. Rangiku came inside after him and closed the door so that they could talk in private and without interruptions. Momo looked up at Toushirou desperately, causing the captain to lightly tense at those teary eyes of hers. Why was it that she couldn't let go of that bastard Aizen Sousuke, was it just like himself with Kurosaki Ichigo? They held a few long minutes in silence which was making Rangiku a little nervous about being present in the tense room.

"Shiro-chan… please talk to sotaichou, we don't need a taichou…" Momo whispered.  
"I'm afraid I can't," he replied stoically to her, "every division needs a taichou."  
"Then can't this one go to the ninth division?!" She cried out angrily.  
"I'm sorry." Toushirou replied, understanding her pain too much.  
"Can't you?!" The lieutenant of the fifth squad begged.  
"No, I can't. Go get some rest Hinamori."

The conversation from hereon was over, and he left the office followed by his highly confused subordinate. Hinamori Momo was lucky to not be a captain, because unlike himself, she can cry out her emotions when ever she wanted. A captain could not—a captain had to be in control of oneself and keep order in their division no matter what, and there was no excuses. As a rule to being a lieutenant, if a division didn't have a captain, then they would have to take the responsibilities of one. But that woman did not, Hinamori Momo was still just to broken and fragile, so Hitsugaya Toushirou had be doing it for her. This had to end though, he could not be a captain to two entire sections of Seireitei, he could not be in two places at once like this.

It was obvious that they needed a captain.

"Taichou, if you keep going this way…" Rangiku trailed off slowly.  
"I'll talk to him for a brief moment about the new taichou." He stated.  
"Eh? So you'll really ask for him to be redirected?" The lieutenant pondered.  
"No." Toushirou replied sternly. "I'm making sure that this man is fit for the job."  
"Aw, that means I can't go in to hear the discussion," she lazily sat on a bench in the hallway as her captain went forth to the chamber, "no fair…"

"Tenth division taichou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, requesting to speak with sotaichou." The small captain called out in front of the door, and they opened to reveal the head-captain, so he bowed to him, "thank you sir."

"What seems to be worrying you Hitsugaya Toushirou taichou?" Yamamoto asked.  
The doors closed behind him, and so he spoke, "is this taichou for the fifth division to be trusted? Hinamori fukutaichou doesn't seem to be ready for one."  
"You are concerned of the chosen taichou for this position?" Questioned the old man.  
His head dipped quietly and replied with a lower tone, "yes, I am."

"She may not, but the division is." He stated. "This man has been looked over by myself and a few others." Yamamoto added, "if anything, this man will do good."

Toushirou's eyes widened slightly—noticing that he shouldn't have questioned him.

He bowed to him, "then I understand that I have no right to judge this man."

His head nodded to the indirect apology, "I will place your worry in view." As the captain looked at him in confusion, he stated, "the man may be best in ninth."

Toushirou nodded quietly and gave his gratitude quietly, "…thank you sir."

"But," Yamamoto spoke, "it seems that we have a highly likable candidate for the last needed taichou for the Gotei 13. Already surpassing every test."

After he left the room, Rangiku hurried to his side, clasping her hands together in hopes of hearing something from the small captain about the new captain that would be watching over the ninth division. Toushirou was a little preoccupied with the shock from what the head-captain had told him… the information was a little bit surprising to let it go as a daily happening—the fifth captain will now be the ninth? A mushy feeling engulfing his head along with two arms as the person squeezed him; it was no other than Rangiku strangling him with her over sized breasts of hell, causing him to jump away from her to breathe. Turning to scowl at her, he saw that she was already smiling sheepishly, obviously begging for him to tell her at least a little bit of information, but he wasn't going to tell her here, so he continued forth.

When they were in their unit, he spoke, "if Yamamoto sotaichou is considering to place this man as the ninth captain instead," he stopped in place, trying to thinking of it to where he could believe it, "then I have no reason to worry."

"W-What?!" Rangiku looked at him in surprise.  
He repeated the head-captains words, "the man may be best in ninth."  
The lieutenant looked at him in a stunned manner, never hearing this before, "…"  
"He also said that he there is another candidate to be a taichou…"  
"Then that one would be taichou of the fifth squad?" She tried to help him think.

"So it would seem…"

Momo saw the two walking as she finally left the office of the tenth squad captain, and this made Toushirou sigh. She came over and looked at him curiously, obviously she was going to ask if he had talked to the head-captain or not. Her mouth had opened to speak, but he interrupted her with the information she already wanted.

"The taichou will be directed to the ninth division." With that said, he continued on.

Rangiku hurried to catch up with him, "that was a little mean, wasn't it taichou?"  
"I can't deal with her right now." Toushirou admitted in irritation.  
She frowned, "why don't you go get some rest? It should do some good."

The captain thought about it… it did sound nice…

**X-**

_He felt the callused hand trailing over his knee, slowly teasing his pale skin as came he turned upward to his inner thigh to have him beg for more attention that had never been given to him like this. It was unbearable for him as he panted feverishly with tinted cheeks that showed frustration and embarrassment; his bodily urges cried for the touches, they screamed to be in contact with the other. There was no way in heaven or hell that he was going to have those demands replied to so early of their heated night—the last night that they were __**ever**__ going to have together. Knowing this he reached out to the lover, wrapping his arms around his neck and asked him to stay there and not leave, only to have a warm chuckle against his ear to have him shiver with delight. After so long, he noticed that the one above him had not spoken a word to him, did this mean that despite his efforts to keeping the teen there would be in vain? No, he would not allow this to happen again, he wasn't! His efforts to keeping him would not be futile, so he wrapped his body around his tightly so that he would not fade away or disappear, …and a kiss was gently placed against above his brow. The white-haired captain looked up at him with a frown, asking why it was that he was going to fight if he knew that he was going to die? Again, he received a warm chuckle, and then another kiss above his brow before the small captain blacked out._

_  
There was silence surrounding him._

_  
His eyes opened to see himself standing with the other current captains as they all stood to present the new captain. Yamamoto declared that this man would be the captain of the division, and his heart went into his throat. He could feel the riatsu of that one person he was attached to, the one he would fight for. As the doors opened with welcoming arms, there stood the orange-haired teen, causing him to stand there as if he was numb. What the hell was he doing, why couldn't he go rushing up to the new captain and kick him in the knee for making him worry?!_

_  
"Sorry I'm late, hope ya didn't worry!" The new captain grinned sheepishly.  
"I-Ichigo…" He called out, looking at him with surprise.  
"Tch. That's Kurosaki Ichigo to you kid!"  
"K-Kid?!" Before he knew it, his world with black._

_  
A hollow mask then appeared in front of him._

_  
"Die."_

_  
_Toushirou gasped for breath as he jumped up into a sitting position, wondering what the hell had happened. He looked around, noticing that he was not his room at all, this was the office that he worked in. His hand came up and wiped his forehead to find out that he was actually drenched in unwanted sweat. The captain felt so out of breath that he laid back down in hopes to somehow managing to catch it all back. A giggle rang in his ears like an alarm going off and opened his eyes in a flash—only to cringe and close them to clear the blurry vision away.

"You've been asleep for a while." His lieutenant called out.  
"Shut up Matsumoto." Growled the exhausted captain.

She frowned at him, "I thought you would look peaceful in your sleep, but it seems that even you get nightmares." Rangiku quietly added, "I tried to wake you up, but then you called out Ichigo's name-" Her sentence was interrupted as he sat up and stood silently. "Are you okay taichou, you seemed like you had a fever?"

"I would be lying if I said I was okay." He then asked lowly. "Matsumoto, were you upset that we had to kill Ichimaru?" Then whispered as he was in thought. "Did it feel like someone was stabbing you with a thousand blades simultaneously?" The captain looked at her, seeing her frown in thought of Gin. "Did it?"

"Do you want to talk about Ichigo? You two acted like brothers…"

"I'm going to work on the new reports." Toushirou stated, obviously she wasn't going to answer him, so it showed that it really had hurt her. "You can take the rest of the day off Matsumoto, you're probably tired now."

It took her a while to leave him alone in the office, but once she was gone, he began working on the reports that never seemed to end no matter how many were finished. Why he have to dream of that last night with him… the night when that substitute shinigami made sure to claim him. No, it wasn't that night—it was like a fantasy of that night though, because he did not wrap his body around him so desperately nor did he ask him to not leave him. He placed the brush down and sighed in annoyance of the dream, it felt almost so real to him, like he was nearby.

"Kurosaki…" It's been two years, two entire years, and he couldn't let it go until they found proof. "You bastard." He rested his head against the cool desk, falling asleep once again through exhaustion. "…Ichi…go…"

_"K-Kurosaki, you bastard…" his hands went on his legs; a new habit of his when he showed that he wanted the attention that Ichigo would give him, "d-damn it."_

_  
"Just shut up, kid." Ichigo whispered softly, pulling off Toushirou's shirt. "You're only angry that I was reckless when fighting alone," his hands traced his body, as if giving him a massage but only lighter than one. He brushed his lips against his ear again before whispering into his captain's ear, "I'm sorry that you were worried."_

_  
Toushirou tried to fight off the panting as the teen taunted him little by little, his body was becoming heated. "I thought you were injured Kurosaki…"  
"I'll use all my energy to loosen you up." He replied quietly, knowing how far the captain could be tease before losing control.  
"What are you implying?" The captain swallowed slowly. "I don't need to be loosen-"  
"You know better than to lie," with that, Ichigo went for the kill for the first time._

_  
"…I-Ichigo…" _

_  
Ichigo looked at him, wondering what it was that he wanted before he would have his way with him. It was amazing how patient he was when it came to having alone time with one another, it really was. Toushirou's tinted cheeks darkened as he was laid down against the bed with their faces inches apart. This wasn't like them, but it was considered to be a life that they would hide in secret; because of this, he reached up and lightly kissed him before turning away. Damn did he hate feeling like he was a child, acting completely innocent and embarrassed of kissing the teen's lips._

_  
Yes, he was mature. _

_  
But maturity didn't always connect with lust and love._

_  
"Toushirou." Ichigo spoke out, caressing his white hair.  
He moaned softly, "don't… I-Ichigo."  
"You still stutter my first name?"  
"Shut up… Kurosaki…" Toushirou groaned.  
"Wait a little longer for me, okay kid?" He whispered.  
The captain shifted, "what are you talking about."_

_  
"I love you."_

Toushirou jumped at the sound of the sliding door closing and wondered who came in, but it appeared that someone just left. He sighed and rubbed his head, only to freeze when he felt that specific riatsu against his head, no… it couldn't be. The captain got off the chair and rushed to the sliding door, thrusting it open and looked through the hallways. Not a soul was in sight, and this really threw him off, but he was absolutely positive that it was Kurosaki Ichigo's riatsu! Hearing himself thinking in his mind, he cursed at himself and closed the sliding door to get back to work.

_'He didn't say that to me that night…'_ He thought to himself.

It was official that he was going insane.

**X-**

"Last week we had found and interesting shinigami, one who has mastered their bankai." Yamamoto announced. "As of now, the fifth and ninth squads are still without a taichou. Therefore we still cannot leave Gotei 13 in this condition."

Everyone was still quiet, as they should be.

"As such, myself and two others had observed him and he passed the taishushiken, and it seems the man is quite suitable for the job. And so, I will introduce you to the gentleman who will take former ninth squad Tousen Kaname taichou's position."

Some now looked interested.

Toushirou held in his breath one way or another in thoughts that this person could possibly be the teen that haunted his subconscious. No one noticed this because of the fact that they were more interested in who the next captain was. Everyone was brought out of their thoughts when they heard the head-captains staff hit the floor.

"The new ninth squad taichou of the Gotei 13, Suzuki Satoshi, may enter." He stated.

So the doors opened for the new captain walked in casually, if not with a superior act which had to be scolded at. The new captain looked at them all curiously, seeing everyone look at him without a care, except for the tenth squad captain who glared. It actually gave him the chills to see such eyes in a little kid; it would be safe to say that he had to stay away from that one.

Sajin looked at him, and noticed his zanpakuto, _'it seems more like a shinai…'_ he wondered if he was just a fighter, or just a real idiot.  
Shunsui smiled with interest, _'it seems he just a little cocky… how fun.'_

No one else had any real comment on him.

Satoshi then spoke out, "I'm Suzuki Satoshi, I hope I don't stir any trouble."

With that, Yamamoto excused himself so that the captains could talk or leave, however, Kuchiki Byakuya followed him for discussion. Hitsugaya Toushirou, Zaraki Kenpachi, and even Kurotsuchi Mayuri were the first to leave because they had no interest in the man. Ukitake Jyuushirou and Kyouraku Shunsui were the ones to greet the man up front, telling him to come to them if he needed anything or didn't know what to do. Komamura Sajin and Soi Fon discussed how they didn't trust this man, so they would keep their guard up as for now until he proved himself worthy. It made Amagai Shusuke a little nervous and asked Unohana Retsu if this was how they all were when he joined the Gotei 13 two years ago, and she only agreed.

For the ones that had left, their lieutenants easily came to theirs sides to ask about the new man. Toushirou stated that it was a man with brown eyes and reddish hair, but also that the man was too cocky for his own good. Mayuri couldn't help but agree before insulting the new captain's zanpakuto—if it really was one for that matter. A scoff was heard from Kenpachi as he retorted that the guy probably needed a good scare, but even so, who were the idiots who suggested him? The three captains had come to a stop with their female lieutenants looking at them curiously, then looked to see that a messenger jumped in front of them.

"I almost thought the damn new taichou would be Ichigo," Kenpachi cracked his knuckles, grinning with excitement, "little coward is hiding somewhere."  
Mayuri scoffed, "why should he be someone a part of the Gotei 13? He acts on his own ambition and probably would disown us."  
"Icchi would be a good taichou, dummy!" Yachiru pouted. "Ken-chan, let's go look for Icchi! I bet I could find him! Please!!"  
"Nah." Kenpachi replied. "If he wants to be a sniveling coward, that's fine."  
"I'm more interested in his human friends, such as that quincy." Mayuri sighed.

Rangiku stopped when Toushirou halted, and so she looked at him worriedly because the two captains brought up Kurosaki Ichigo in their discussion, "is something wrong taichou?" She called out. "You seem to be in deep thought today…"

"It's nothing that you would have to worry about Matsumoto," they continued towards their squad after a moment of silence.

He fell asleep on the couch in the office during the day, he fell asleep on the desk in the office during the evening, and he fell asleep on the bed in his room that night. It was becoming frustrating to have each dream involving that stupid Kurosaki Ichigo; never had the substitute haunted him so much in one day and night, it was really painful. But that second time he had fallen asleep, he knew that he felt the riatsu of the teen he once knew, there was no one who could tell him otherwise because he would know it best. That's why he was so fixated on whom the ninth captain was going to be—his hopes were so high that he really thought Kurosaki Ichigo would be the one passing the doors. This really hurt him though… one let down after another, this really couldn't be happening to him though; he wasn't some child who lost his friend to accident… it was a man who lost his love to a war.

Rangiku noticed that Toushirou had stopped walking because of the distance in his spiritual power from hers, so she turned and looked at him. Her eyes widened in complete shock to see a downcast on her captain's face…what in the world was going on in his mind? The lieutenant just stood there in surprise at the upset face that the captain was making in front of her as his attention stayed glued to the floor.

His hand came up to his face so that he could wipe away the attempting tears as he cursed at Ichigo in his mind. The last time he had managed to cry was when he was with that idiot during the last night before going to Soul Society. He remembered how he was so stubborn and demanded that Ichigo obeyed him without a second warning and entered him, the pain had been severe, but he endured it for him. A hand went on his shoulder and a sharp gasp managed to slip out before he could think, he looked at the person touching him, and saw that it was Rangiku.

"Taichou, are you really okay?" His lieutenant frowned.  
He wiped his eye one last time, "it's nothing, something just got in my eye."  
Rangiku frowned at the obvious lie and hugged him, "you're so cute like this!"  
This angered him and shoved away, "I'm not cute." He stated. "I'm a taichou."  
"You're so mean taichou! I was just trying to cheer you up!" She whined.

He knew what to do about that.

Toushirou had waited two years for Kurosaki Ichigo to show his face, and damn him for not considering the small one's feelings. He said that he would accept the pain of losing him, and he had because he knew they would see each other again. His mind never comprehended though that he would have to wait forever just to see him though, so why? The captain had to be better than this and not worry his lieutenant, he had to accompany thoughts that were much more important to him.

Ichigo didn't treat him like a captain though, he treated him like a lover. _'That's why it's so hard to let him go,'_ Toushirou thought to himself.

This was going to be hard for him… but he was determined to forget everything that happened during those two or three months back in the human world. He was going to forget the voice, the scent, the sight and feeling of that one orange-haired teen he knew. It will be difficult to forget that tall, stubborn idiot with those brown, warming eyes along with that taunting chuckle in his ear. That dream was a fluke—Kurosaki Ichigo had never said 'I love you,' nor did Hitsugaya Toushirou say it to him…

But he _**will**_ say this.

"I hate Kurosaki."


	6. Chapter 06

**Chapter 06**

Winters Warm Breath

- Previously -

He fell asleep on the couch in the office during the day, he fell asleep on the desk in the office during the evening, and he fell asleep on the bed in his room that night. It was becoming frustrating to have each dream involving that stupid Kurosaki Ichigo; never had the substitute haunted him so much in one day and night, it was really painful. But that second time he had fallen asleep, he knew that he felt the riatsu of the teen he once knew, there was no one who could tell him otherwise because he would know it best. That's why he was so fixated on whom the ninth captain was going to be—his hopes were so high that he really thought Kurosaki Ichigo would be the once passing the doors. This really hurt him though… one let down after another, this really couldn't be happen to him though; he wasn't some child who lost his friend to accident… it was a man who lost his love to a war.

Rangiku noticed that Toushirou had stopped walking because of the distance in his spiritual power from hers, so she turned and looked at him. Her eyes widened in complete shock to see a downcast on her captain's face…what in the world was going on in his mind? The lieutenant just stood there in surprise at the upset face that the captain was making in front of her as his attention stayed glued to the floor.

His hand came up to his face so that he could wipe away the attempting tears as he cursed at Ichigo in his mind. The last time he had managed to cry was when he was with that idiot during the last night before going to Soul Society. He remembered how he was so stubborn and demanded that Ichigo obeyed him without a second warning and entered him, the pain had been severe, but he endured it for him. A hand went on his shoulder and a sharp gasp managed to slip out before he could think, he looked at the person touching him, and saw that it was Rangiku.

"Taichou, are you really okay?" His lieutenant frowned.  
He wiped his eye one last time, "it's nothing, something just got in my eye."  
Rangiku frowned at the obvious lie and hugged him, "you're so cute like this!"  
This angered him and shoved away, "I'm not cute." He stated. "I'm a taichou."  
"You're so mean taichou! I was just trying to cheer you up!" She whined.

He knew what to do about that.

Toushirou had waited two years for Kurosaki Ichigo to show his face, and damn him for not considering the small one's feelings. He said that he would accept the pain of losing him, and he had because he knew they would see each other again. His mind never comprehended though that he would have to wait forever just to see him though, so why? The captain had to be better than this and not worry his lieutenant, he had to accompany thoughts that were much more important to him.

Ichigo didn't treat him like a captain though, he treated him like a lover. _'That's why it's so hard to let him go,'_ Toushirou thought to himself.

This was going to be hard for him… but he was determined to forget everything that happened during those two or three months back in the human world. He was going to forget the voice, the scent, the sight and feeling of that one orange-haired teen he knew. It will be difficult to forget that tall, stubborn idiot with those brown, warming eyes along with that taunting chuckle in his ear. That dream was a fluke—Kurosaki Ichigo had never said 'I love you,' nor did Hitsugaya Toushirou say it to him…

But he _**will**_ say this.

"I hate Kurosaki."

**- Now -**

After twenty years, it was happening again…

Rumors had been roaring from left to right and right to left, everyone was talking about how they have found a captain for the fifth division. The meeting was declared to be held tomorrow in the chamber during midday, why oh why did this not surprise him? Could this wait another three months; just until his favorite season has melted off into complete oblivion till next year? No, of course not, and Hinamori Momo made certain of this as she had just begged him to talk with the head captain to just wait a little longer for her. However, he was going to do the same thing as the last time, and see to it that the man was suitable for the position given to him.

"Tenth squad taichou, Hitsugaya Toushirou, requesting to speak with sotaichou." The small captain called out in front of the door, and they opened to reveal the head-captain, so he bowed to him, "thank you sir."

"Is the new taichou worrying you, Hitsugaya Toushirou taichou?" Yamamoto asked.  
The doors closed behind him, and so he spoke, "Hinamori fukutaichou doesn't seem to be ready for a new taichou, as if she still needs time to heal…"  
"You are concerned for just one person and not the unit?" Questioned the old man.  
His head dipped quietly and replied with a lower tone, "yes, I am."

"She may not be ready, but the division is not able to continue on like this." He stated. "I have chosen this man myself, and it has taken me twenty years to have him agree to join us." Yamamoto added, "if anything, this man will do good." The head-captain began to explain, "he is strong and wise for his youth now, and in time, he can be a great replacement for myself for whenever the time is to come."

Toushirou's eyes widened—noticing that he shouldn't have questioned him again.

He bowed to him, "then I understand that I have no right to judge this man."  
His head nodded to the indirect apology, "there should be no worrying from here on, do you understand?." As the captain looked at him for confirmation.  
"Yes… I understand." Toushirou bowed in respect.

"It's a shame though, you just missed him." Yamamoto stated calmly as he added for the young captain. "He had left to go observe the division, and afterwards he was going home." His hand swayed, "now go do your duties for the day."

He just missed him? But there was no unfamiliar riatsu nearby, "…thank you sir."

After he left the room, Rangiku hurried to his side, clasping her hands together in hopes of hearing something from the small captain about the new captain that would be watching over the fifth division. Toushirou was a little preoccupied with the shock from what the head-captain had told him… the information was rather too surprising to just let it go as a daily happening—the fifth captain will take over for the head-captain? A mushy touch engulfed his head along with two arms as the person squeezed him; it was no other than Rangiku strangling him with her over sized breasts of hell, causing him to jump away from her to breathe. Turning to scowl at her, he saw that she was already smiling sheepishly, obviously begging for him to tell her at least a little bit of information, but he wouldn't say here, so he continued.

When they were in their unit, he spoke, "if Yamamoto sotaichou is considering to place so much trust into this man," he stopped in place, trying to thinking of it to where he could believe it, "then I have no reason to worry."

"W-What?!" Rangiku looked at him in surprise.  
He repeated the head-captains words, "he is strong and wise for his youth now, and in time, he can be a great replacement for myself for whenever the time is to come."  
The lieutenant looked at him in a stunned manner, never hearing this before, "…"  
"He also said that we had just missed him." He added.  
"Maybe he used flash steps?" She tried to help him think.

"So it would seem…"

The two went to the administrative office to do some work—well, at least Toushirou was working. Rangiku was just slacking now more than ever as she tried think of what captain would look like. She did this for two or three hours, and so he had to drag her out of her daydreaming world and called out boredly.

"Oi, do the rest of these papers, I'm completely exhausted." Toushirou sighed.  
She looked at him with a frown, "but I want to know about the new taichou."  
"You'll know about him tomorrow!" A knock came at the door, "enter."

It was Byakuya to their surprise, "someone thought that it would be humorous to place these on my desk." He showed him the papers of the fifth division. "You should be grateful that the taichou joining us does not slack off with paperwork."

Toushirou looked at him in surprise, "you know who the taichou will be?"  
"We are both of the four great noble families," he placed the papers on the desk.  
"Does that mean he's the head of the family?" Rangiku asked curiously.  
"And we are both leaders of our clans." Byakuya added before leaving.  
"Eh… that's scary…" she frowned after he left.

Toushirou scowled at her as he got up, "finish the last of this, I need to rest."  
She turned to him, "taichou, you're so mean!"  
"Be quiet." The captain sighed and left.

**X-**

_He watched Momo running off to the shinigami academy, boy did he ever hate them, he didn't want anything to do with them. Days came where his grandmother would become so cold during the night because he couldn't control his riatsu. The orange-haired woman was right, he had to become that of what he had hated for so long. It was permission that he wanted before going into the academy, and it was granted by the old woman who cared for him. His heart couldn't help but ache at the words she said to him… and then he began falling into darkness, so he yelled at the drop._

_  
It stopped soon after, so he opened his eyes and looked, only to see the orange-haired woman talking to the orange-haired teen he once knew. They were talking about him, and he remembered this day when he was injured so badly that one time. _

_  
_Somehow, he began to stir awake, only to see a blur of black and white, so he began to get up to see who it was. There was a smooth chuckle as the person covered the small captains eyes, whispering that he would be okay, and to relax.

_  
"__**Shiroi getsuga**__." _

_  
Everything turned to ice, and he recognized that this was the ice plain that was within him. Soon a thrashing roar was heard, so he quickly turned around to look at Hyorinmaru—only to see a man in black as well. The man standing there was faintly reminding him one way or the other of Kurosaki Ichigo's bankai. It didn't matter who or why he was there, the question of __**how**__ he was there seemed far more important._

_  
As he was about to call out to the man, he watched him raise his hand to the giant beast, and witnessed Hyorinmaru obey. Now this had him worry, this stranger had somehow forced his ice dragon into submission, what in the world was going on? The small one was about to yell at the man, but his mouth was covered by a large hand._

_  
"If you yell, I'll disappear." A voice whispered. "If you look, I'll disappear."_

_  
"I-Ichigo…" Toushirou stuttered at the voice.  
"I'm sorry that I'm so late…" he replied quietly.  
"This is just a dream." Sighed the small captain.  
"If you want to believe that, then go ahead."  
"What's that supposed to-!" He was interrupted._

_  
"If you yell, I'll disappear."_

_  
"This is just a dream, you'll disappear anyway." The small one stated.  
"I know you're upset with me, but you have to be strong."  
He turned to look at him, but his eyes were covered, "what are you doing?"  
"If you look at me, I'll disappear… do you really want that Toushirou?"_

"I've forgotten you, I don't want to remember you." He trembled. "After all these years, why? Why are you here taunting me?" The pain hurt too much.

_  
Lips came to his own, bringing him into a gentle kiss—something that Toushirou could not ever forget, no matter how he tried. His dreams weren't even this real; he could feel the warmth and the smell of him altogether as he kissed him. When he pulled away from the small one, he used his hand to caress his white strands of hair softly as he did when he was alive, and began to speak._

_  
"You haven't changed at all, but look at you, you're so much stronger," the tall one said cheerfully, "I'm so proud that you could take down Aizen on your own too!"_

_  
"I-Ichigo…" Stuttered the now shaking captain; could it be?  
He looked at him, "you ain't gonna cry are you?"  
Yeah, it was him… "how are you here? Why?"  
"Why?" His hand rustled his head, "how rude."  
"How are you here I-Ichigo."_

_  
"I can't tell you right now, but maybe after a while I can." He replied._

_  
"That man, who is he?" Toushirou asked a little confusedly.  
"Zangetsu," he chuckled, "don't worry about them."  
"He just easily tamed Hyorinmaru," replied the captain.  
"He can tame Hyorinmaru, because I can tame you."  
Now he fumed. "D-Don't say it like I'm a dog!" _

_  
Toushirou lowered the hand that covered his eyes, but he kept them closed as he still held onto the hand. He brought both hands to it, feeling the familiar touch of them, and it made him worry; everything was just right. His eyes allowed just a few tears to slide down his cheek before the nearly throwing himself against him and clung almost desperately to him. The captain heard the soft chuckles again, and didn't care anymore because this man was Ichigo no matter how hard he didn't want to believe._

_  
"You're such a child Toushirou." The tall one stated. "That's all you do—clinging."  
He knew this, but he didn't care, not right now at least. "Just shut up Kurosaki."  
His hands wrapped around the small captain, "sorry, sorry," he replied quietly._

_  
This was Kurosaki Ichigo._

_  
"Wanna play for a little while?" His voice ringed into his ears.  
He blushed, "Hyorinmaru and Zangetsu-"  
"Have gone elsewhere for us, look for yourself even."  
Toushirou turned to see that they were gone, "but…"  
"They know because their apart of us." He replied.  
"But how can Zangetsu control-"_

_  
"He can tame Hyorinmaru, because I can tame you."_

_  
"I know that," the little captain began turning around to him, but stopped to think about it, then sighed and closed his eyes as he stated, "this is hard, I want to see-"_

_  
"I know, but you're not ready," as Toushirou was about to retort, he stopped him by saying. "Just listen to me this one time, here," he tugged off the small captains obi and tied it around his head to cover his eyes, "I'd hate to see wrinkles on your face."_

_  
Toushirou blushed at the draft; he wore a white robe to take his nap, and now his body was exposed to the tall one, but not all of his body. He listened to all of the movements around him, of how the tall one squatted down to his height. His body shivered in contact of the hand on his stomach that gently stroked his smaller abs. A chuckle filled his surroundings—he must've been blushing more than he was just seconds ago. The taller one was grinning, he knew he was, but before he could speak about it, his body was lifted in his arms and carried._

_  
"Kurosaki! What are you doing!" He panicked in surprise.  
"What's it feel like I'm doing? I'm carrying you."  
"…" His face just buried into his robe quietly.  
"Were you __**this**__ shy before I left?" The man wondered.  
There was no reply from Toushirou, "…"_

_  
The tall one sat down on the ground and turned the smaller one around so his small back could be against his chest. His hands roamed the small body gently to be easily rewarded with nervous pants and sheepish trembles from the one enjoying it. It was no surprise that Toushirou was twice as sensitive, after all, he had been neglected for twenty or so years. The small one asked for him to stop, so he obeyed confusedly to see what it was that he wanted from him. He had turned around on the tall one's body, sitting on his waist as his hands searched for the folds of the robes._

_  
This made the tall one chuckle, "after all this time, you never changed."  
"I have," Toushirou replied, "I just want to pick up from where we started."  
"Sounds tempting," he watched as the little one blindly kissed his chest._

_  
"Taichou!"_

_  
Toushirou took a moment to think about the voice, "…Matsumoto?"  
"Tch, go figure," he covered his chest and helped the little one on his feet.  
"No wait, what are you doing?" The small captain sounded a little worried.  
"You're being called for," he stated, going behind him to undo the obi from the little one's head to put it around his waist, "don't worry, I'll come back some other time."_

_  
"WAIT!"_

_  
_"Kurosaki!" Toushirou jumped up in his bed, and looked around.  
"Thank goodness!" Squealed his lieutenant and hugged him. "You scared me!"  
The captain calmed down, barely comprehending that he had been asleep, and so he rubbed his head as she released him. "What are you doing in here?"  
"I knocked, saying that I finished, but you wouldn't answer me so I came in."  
"I said I was exhausted," he continued to rub his head, he noticed how hot he was.  
"But your face was so red!" Rangiku watched as his face reddened more, "see!"

Toushirou placed a hand over his nose and mouth while he was in thought, _'I can still remember every detail… 'dreams' aren't like that, they slowly vanish into nothing,'_ his hand slowly went to his side, _'but does the 'dream' affect reality?'_ He looked down at himself, seeing that the robe was half tied. "Matsumoto, did I speak in my sleep?"

"Yes, you said my name after I came in, then you asked what I was doing. As I came closer you told me to wait, then you jumped and said Ichigo's name…" She stated.

He looked like he had a real bad case of a fever as he looked away in frustration; if she had been there any soon her, she would've heard more than her share. His eyes closed in thought of the touches he received by the man in his dream and felt himself become slowly aroused. Toushirou was not going to have his lieutenant witness this and looked at her to see her now curious to him.

"Why are you here again?" He asked.  
"I finished the work," Rangiku checked his forehead, "you okay?"  
His hand swatted hers away, "don't be rude. You can have the rest of the day off."

**X-**

"For two decades we had found and interesting shinigami, one who has mastered their bankai and much more." Yamamoto announced. "For some time now, the fifth division is without a taichou, until today. The man has much to show us in time."

Everyone was still quiet, as they should be.

"As such, myself and another of the Gotei 13 have been trying to have this man join us in becoming a taichou, and he has refused until this past month. The man was far off more busy than any noble I have seen in years. Now, I will proudly introduce you to the gentleman who will take former fifth division Aizen Sousuke position."

Some now looked interested, was it… a noble?

Everyone was brought out of their thoughts when they heard the head-captains staff hit the floor. "The new fifth division taichou of the Gotei 13, Kasumiouji…"

Everyone but Byakuya seemed surprised; not only was he a noble, but one of the four great noble families—you got to be kidding, this family never participated!

"…Ichigo, may now enter." He finished.

Toushirou's eyes widened when hearing the given name.

So the doors opened for the new captain walked in casually, if not with a superior act which had to be scolded at. The new captain looked at them all curiously, seeing how almost everyone looked at him with shock, except for the sixth division captain who glared lightly. But really got their attention was the little pink-haired girl he had in his hand with an annoyed look written all over him.

"Who's lieutenant is this?" Kasumiouji Ichigo asked stoically.  
"Ken-chan! I found Icchi!!" Cheered Yachiru.  
"Tch, get outta here, it's a meeting." Kenpachi growled.  
"Kay!" She smiled and looked up, "Icchi, put me down!"  
"…" Ichigo dropped the child who landed on her feet.  
"Bye-bye!" Quickly the little lieutenant left.

The new captain then looked at the others, "I am Kasumiouji Ichigo, head of one of the four great noble clans." He stated. "Hopefully, this will be interesting."

Sajin looked at him, and noticed his zanpakuto, _'the zanpakuto is the same…'_  
Shunsui smiled with interest, _'he sure seems like a noble now.'  
'Hmm, that's a little interesting.'_ Jyuushirou remarked to himself.

No one else had any real comment on him.

Ichigo placed his hands into the sleeves of his robes as he spoke. "Since this is a meeting based on my joining to the Gotei 13, I request for Hinamori Momo fukutaichou of the fifth division to be temporarily discharged till further notice."

Toushirou snapped out of his thoughts, "You can't do that."

His attention went to him, "true, I may be new to the order, however, I have seen that the girl does not do her duties as a fukutaichou, nor as a substitute taichou." He closed his eyes while adding, "having the taichou of the tenth division do all the work for another division is rather insulting to the division itself."

"Hinamori has been having a hard time with things." The small one stated.  
"The fact that you are her childhood friend is the only reason why you defend her."  
His eyes slit down at the complete strictness in his tone, _'this isn't Kurosaki…'_  
"I would like to hear other opinions, from those who have no relation to the girl."  
"If you give Hinamori some time, I'm sure that she'll heal." Toushirou defended.  
Ichigo opened his eyes, "she has had years to recover, and it is still not enough."

"I agree." Byakuya spoke; hoping to end the ongoing conversation.  
"So do I," Soi Fon stated, "having her as a fukutaichou is pathetic."  
"Tch, I say let her keep her position, if she dies it's her fault." Kenpachi stated.  
Ichigo closed his eyes and spoke coolly at this. "If you attempt to threaten a member that is in my division, I will not hesitate to respond to it."

"Sorry oppose," Satoshi spoke boredly, "but I don't see why the girl can't stay."  
"It is the duty of the fukutaichou to take charge in a taichou's absence." He stated. "This one has done nothing but worsen the status of the division with her issues."  
"I agree," Sajin called out, "if anything, she may have been a fukutaichou as Aizen's plot to get what he wanted. We all know by now that she was obsessed."  
"She's a sweet girl, I would be disappointed to see her discharged." Shusuke spoke.  
"Being sweet does not keep a division strong." Ichigo stated. "You forget that I have said 'temporarily,' so I do not intend to have her discharged permanently."  
"If that would be the case, I wouldn't mind seeing her take a break." Shunsui smiled.  
"Who knows, maybe she could train during her little break." Mayuri stated.

"Truthfully, I think a new taichou for her to look up to will do her a lot of good, and you would probably be the best." Jyuushirou opposed. "Don't get me wrong, the thought of her taking it easy sounds best, but she should get to know you too."

Ichigo looked at him, bowing his head, "I appreciate your argument, however, I had made many arrangements for her in the best place." Then added. "There is someone that will be expecting her if things go smoothly." He looked to Retsu, "and for you?"

Retsu looked at Ichigo, then at Toushirou with a frown, "I'm sorry, but I have to agree that her being discharged will help her a lot more than staying here."

Toushirou frowned, the majority won for Ichigo.

"It is settled then." Yamamoto spoke. "Hinamori Momo will be discharged until further notice. Kasumiouji Ichigo, will you have a replacement for her?"  
"If it will be allowed, I have a man awaiting outside." Ichigo stated.  
"Very well, bring him forth." The old man commanded.  
He bowed his head, then spoke out, "allow Kenzaki Ryuusei in if you will."

_'Isn't that, …Kenryuu…'_ Toushirou vaguely remembered that name.

The guards then obeyed and had the double doors were opened as they were told to do by both the head-captain and the newest captain of the day, and Kenryuu entered in the same manner as the new captain had. Once he was five feet behind Ichigo, he kneeled down on one knee to show his respect to the captains of the Gotei 13. Byakuya looked mildly disagreeable of a servant being a lieutenant, but his expression went unnoticed to all but Ichigo.

"I am Kenzaki Ryuusei of the Kasumiouji Clan," Kenryuu spoke.  
"Rise." Ichigo stated, and so he obeyed by getting up.  
"…" Toushirou didn't know what to think of this guy now.

"I have been with his man for a little over twenty years, and probably the best man I can put my trust in." Kasumiouji Ichigo stated. "I can gladly vogue for him."  
Yamamoto nodded, "do we have any objections?"  
"…" Toushirou wanted to object… he wanted to, but couldn't.  
"Then it is settled. Kenzaki Ryuusei, you are hereby fukutaichou of the fifth division."  
"Thank you sir," Kenryuu bowed his head.

"You're all dismissed, conversations and introductions shall be placed when wanted."

With that, Yamamoto excused himself so that the captains could talk or leave.

"I am grateful you kept silent," Ichigo called out to Byakuya as he was passing by.  
"Consider it a debt repaid Kasumiouji." Replied the stoic captain as he left.  
"Of course," he then looked at the others, "so then…" his eyes landed on Toushirou, "an elder wanted me to give you this when I entered Soul Society."  
Knowing that it must've been his grandmother, he took it, "what are you doing?"  
He looked at him, "I kept my word to give the letter to Hitsugaya Toushirou."

"That's not what I meant!" Toushirou glared and placed a hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. "Don't mess around with me Kurosaki!"

"If you threaten me with your zanpakuto, boy, I will respond to it." He stated.  
The small captain growled and called. "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!"  
Nothing happened, and the captains gasped at this, "he's not responding…"  
Toushirou looked at his zanpakuto, _'he… he's not listening to me…'_

_  
"He can tame Hyorinmaru, because I can tame you."_

His eyes widened—he couldn't attack Ichigo with his blade, and he looked up at him.

"I can't attack…" The small captain whispered in realization.  
Ichigo placed his hands into his sleeves, "it seems to me that you need practice."  
"You know he can't attack you, you bastard!" He called out.

His riatsu the beamed down like a thousand of pounds were weighing on all of their shoulders, and with Toushirou closest to him, he fell to his knees, "do not presume what I do and do not know, boy." Seeing that he was out of breath, he lightened his riatsu, given everyone their breath back. "Also, you called me 'Kurosaki' moments ago," the new captain scowled, "do not compare me to some other person."

The ten present captains stared at him in disbelief as Kenryuu turned his head away from this situation, knowing what these people were going to say now. Toushirou just stared up at Ichigo in disbelief, wishing that it wasn't possible, wishing that it wasn't true. No, he wasn't going to scream, whine, or even cry—not here, not in front of the other captains, and not in front of a man who didn't… He stood up before he looked up at Ichigo; you could see in his eyes that this wasn't the same man.

"You lost your memory after you died, that's why you don't remember me."

Ichigo looked at him straight in the face and replied, "no, I do not _remember_ you."

Everything made sense now, especially his attitude.

(A/N: Don't worry, things will get a lot more interesting. Sorry it's bad, I had to rewrite it a couple times because the computer suck. That, and I've been working on other Bleach stories; I like "Enlighten the Path," another IchHitsu one.)


	7. Chapter 07

**Chapter 07**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

"I have been with his man for a little over twenty years, and probably the best man I can put my trust in." Kasumiouji Ichigo stated. "I can gladly vogue for him."  
Yamamoto nodded, "do we have any objections?"  
"…" Toushirou wanted to object… he wanted to, but couldn't.  
"Then it is settled. _Kenzaki Ryuusei_, you are hereby fukutaichou of the fifth division."  
"Thank you sir," Kenryuu bowed his head—already he was down on a knee anyway.

"You're all dismissed, conversations and introductions shall be placed when wanted."

With that, Yamamoto excused himself so that the captains could talk or leave.

"I am grateful you kept silence," Ichigo called out to Byakuya as he was passing by.  
"Considerate a debt repaid Kasumiouji." Replied the stoic captain as he left.  
"Of course," he then looked at the others, "so then…" his eyes landed on Toushirou, "an elder wanted me to give you this when I entered Soul Society."  
Knowing that it must've been his grandmother, he took it, "what are you doing?"  
He looked at him, "I kept my word to give the letter to Hitsugaya Toushirou."

"That's not what I meant!" Toushirou glared and placed a hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. "Don't mess around with me Kurosaki!"

"If you threaten me with your zanpakuto, boy, I will respond to it." He stated.  
The small captain growled and called. "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!"  
Nothing happened, and the captains gasped at this, "he's not responding…"  
Toushirou looked at his zanpakuto, _'he… he's not listening to me…'_

_  
"He can tame Hyorinmaru, because I can tame you."_

His eyes widened—he couldn't attack Ichigo with his blade, and he looked up at him.

"I can't attack…" The small captain whispered in realization.  
Ichigo placed his hands into his sleeves, "it seems to me that you need practice."  
"You know he can't attack you, you bastard!" He called out.

His reiatsu the beamed down like a thousand of pounds were weighing on all of their shoulders, and with Toushirou closest to him, he fell to his knees, "do not presume what I do and do not know, boy." Seeing that he was out of breath, he lightened his reiatsu, given everyone their breath back. "Also, you called me 'Kurosaki' moments ago," the new captain scowled, "do not compare me to some other person."

The ten present captains stared at him in disbelief as Kenryuu turned his head away from this situation, knowing what these people were going to say now. Toushirou just stared up at Ichigo in disbelief, wishing that it wasn't possible, wishing that it wasn't true. No, he wasn't going to scream, whine, or even cry—not here, not in front of the other captains, and not in front of a man who didn't… He stood up before he looked up at Ichigo; you could see in his eyes that this wasn't the same man.

"You lost your memory after you died, that's why you don't remember me."

Ichigo looked at him straight in the face and replied, "no, I do not _remember_ you."

Everything made sense now, especially his attitude.

**- Now -**

Within three weeks, the fifth division was brought back to life, so to speak, and they acted like they could do anything now. This pleased their new captain and everyone who took the time to observe them—mainly meaning the other captains. Toushirou though was still a little disappointed how Ichigo made him look like an idiot in front of the captains, whether it was intentional or not. Having him bring out Hyorinmaru, only to have the sword submit to the other man, rubbing 'boy' in his face too. Why did he have that dream if it was going to be like this; if Ichigo didn't remember him.

He sighed, "Matsumoto, can you finish the rest of this?" There was no answer, and so his attention went upwards to see if she was gone, "Matsumoto?" Damn it, she left, and the problem was that he knew where she was going. "Damn you Matsumoto!"

That stupid woman was going to get herself involved with the fifth division captain, it was more than obvious though that she might get herself killed. True, it's unlikely that Ichigo would brother to raise his zanpakuto for her, but his reiatsu could easily kill her if he wanted. Using his flash steps to hurry even more, he started to feel their reiatsu; more like feeling Rangiku raging at Ichigo. He had yet to bother telling her that this Kasumiouji Ichigo did not have his memory from when he was alive.

Faintly, he could hear her yelling—then saw her.

"How can you be so crude to him!" Rangiku yelled.  
Ichigo merely looked at her stoically. "…"  
"Answer me you jerk!" She brought her hand up to slap him.  
"MATSUMOTO!" Toushirou yelled angrily, jumping at Ichigo's side.  
When her hand came rushing down, Kenryuu gabbed her hand, "that's enough."  
"W-What?" She saw her captain. "T-Taichou," Rangiku looked at him in confusion.

This was bad, many of the underling shinigami were watching; if he knew anything of nobility, it was to not damage their strong pride, "apologize to Kasumiouji, now."

"Taichou! You know this man is Kurosaki-" Rangiku stopped at his foot stomping.  
"This isn't the place for it Matsumoto, apologize to your superior." He demanded.  
"Kurosaki, Kurosaki, Kurosaki." Ichigo sternly. "I have not attacked, because you are a woman. But you have attempted to attack me." His hand went on Zangetsu.  
_'Damn it all,'_ Toushirou went to Rangiku's side and bowed _**for**_ her, "please forgive her, Kasumiouji. My subordinate is merely upset and confused because you're new."  
Rangiku looked at her captain in an upset manner, "taichou!"  
"Quiet Matsumoto!" Toushirou bellowed, still bowing lowly.

Ichigo glared at the small captain without mercy, however, he released the hilt of his Zanpakuto, "Kenryuu." He spoke out, still looking at the small bowing captain, "that woman, let her go," when the turquoise eyes looked up at him, he looked away to his own lieutenant, "I will not press charges on her for attempting to attack a taichou."

"Thank you Kasumiouji," Toushirou bowed again, this time thankfully.  
Rangiku frowned, and also bowed to him, "thank you… Kasumiouji taichou."  
"However," Ichigo began to add, sliding his hands into his sleeves, "this is two now?"  
"Yes sir," Kenryuu replied; meaning this was the second warning to Toushirou.

"Then the third will have no excuse, and judgment will be placed in order." Ichigo stated and walked passed them. "Do not forget it, or the penalty will be far worse than what a common man, or taichou for that matter, would request."

"What the hell is wrong with—" Rangiku was interrupted.  
"I understand," Toushirou replied, "thank you again."  
"Taichou!" She called out in annoyance.  
"Matsumoto. We have work to do." He stated.

Toushirou forced his lieutenant to come back to the administration office to deal with the rest of the work. It seems that he had to finish all of the work himself while his lieutenant ranted on and on about how insensitive Ichigo was now. Rangiku just went on, and on, and on about all of it that he was getting annoyed very slowly.

"Hitsugaya taichou?" A voice called out.  
Toushirou glanced to the door, "who is it?"  
"_Kenzaki Ryuusei_ fukutaichou of fifth division."  
He paused, then allowed it, "go ahead, enter."  
Kenryuu opened the door, "thank you sir."  
Rangiku only glared at him, "…"

"I understand that this may be a little hard for you to accept, but as you have most likely noticed, Ichigo-sama does not have memory of his life as a human, as most shinigami would not." Kenryuu explained. "I don't think that he was any exception."

Toushirou looked at the desk, "Kuro-Kasumiouji, he's getting married, correct?"  
He looked at him confusedly, "Lurichiyo-sama has grown a lot over the years, but she is still not really old enough, and there's issues…" he paused, ending in silence.  
"I see." The small captain did not psychically falter at this.  
"I can't say anymore of noble business, but it's best if you put the past—"

There was a loud explosion coming from the farther walls, causing an alarm to sound off immediately afterwards. An announcement was made out to Seireitei that the fifth divisions' defenses were being attacked by a large amount of menos. Kenryuu heard this, and yet he didn't panic—merely stood up slowly and bowed to the two.

"I doubt I'm needed, but I should be there for support." He stated as he began to leave. "Try to know the new Ichigo-sama, he's interesting." With that, he left.

**X-**

"D-Did you see that?" A shinigami asked in surprise.  
"H-He just took out an entire fleet of menos!" Another cried out.  
One literally cried tearfully, "he's so cool, I'm glad he's our taichou, no doubt!"  
Some of the girls whispered, "it's too bad that he's probably taken, he's so hot."  
"That's our taichou you're talking about!" Another woman whispered.

"Are there any casualties present?" Ichigo called out.  
"N-no sir," one replied, still recovering from the shock.  
"I want squad three to guard this section of the unit."  
"Yes sir!" The officer bowed and waited till excused.  
"I want squad twenty to guard this section as well."  
"Yes sir!" The officer also bowed and waited till excused.

By now, Kenryuu stood behind Ichigo.

"Sorry I'm late, I had an errand to take care of." Kenryuu bowed.  
The captain looked to him, "it involved Hitsugaya Toushirou."  
His eyes widened—easily found out, "I just told him to stop."

Ichigo and Kenryuu shared a moments gaze, and then it was back to ordering the rest of the squads. "Squads eight through ten, surround the unit section from north to south in the east. Squads seventeen through nineteen, surround the unit section from north to south in the west. Squads one and thirteen, stay in central." The captain glanced at the officers. "The other squads will be for relief."

"Taichou, is there a specific squad that we should go to for relief?" An officer asked.

"One and two, three and eleven, four and thirteen, five and eight, six and nine, seven and ten, fourteen and seventeen, fifteen and eighteen, sixteen and nineteen, and lastly, twelve and twenty will be for relief and duty." Kenryuu stated.

"This will be for only two days." Ichigo stated. "This seems to be just a one time thing, however," he grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto, causing the squads to stare in awe as he raised it in the air, "if the intruder does not come out, I will kill him."

With this said, his reiatsu easily doubled, but the spiritual power quadrupled over the glowing zanpakuto that howled greedily to kill an opponent. All of the shinigami of his division backed away little by little, not only were they a little afraid of the blade, but where was the intruder was hiding? They saw the captain smirk and controlled the power to attack the wall where it was already thrashed. A blur jumped away from the attack and decided to come out of hiding by going to Ichigo; it was Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Placing Zangetsu against his back, he decided that this man was no real threat to him, so he returned to the officers and squads.

"Dismissed." Ichigo stated.

Everyone then vanished except his lieutenant who asked, "Kurotsuchi taichou, right?"  
"He sent the menos out with bait in the unit to test my ability as a taichou." Ichigo stated, walking away in annoyance. "Let's go Kenryuu."  
"Y-Yes sir." He turned around to follow him.

_'That was nearly a hundred menos, and he defeated them with that same attack, if it had cut me—'_ Mayuri paused and looked to the side, gaping. "YOU CUT MY ARM OFF!"

"Did I?" Ichigo asked Kenryuu, pretending to not hear Mayuri.  
"Ichigo-sama, you should control your aim a little more." The lieutenant sighed.  
"I did." He replied. "But I was not going to take this matter all too lightly."  
"H-Hitsugaya taichou," Kenryuu spoke out in surprise, looking in front of them.  
"You did not know that he followed you?" Ichigo asked with suspicion.  
"I… guess I was distracted." He replied sheepishly.

"Kasumiouji Ichigo," Toushirou called out, "may I talk to you in private?"

Ichigo looked to his lieutenant who nodded in acknowledgment that he was going to talk with the small captain. With that, the two captains began to walk off as the lieutenant went to do other duties that would need him. The paperwork sounded like the best thing to do, so he went to the office in hopes of finishing them before Ichigo returned. It seemed that the captain enjoyed the paperwork, but after twenty years of helping with them, supposedly he would get used to all of it. There was only one problem that Kenryuu forgot, but it wasn't anything special or of great importance.

…just that Lurichiyo was going to see Ichigo.

**X-**

"What is it you want to discuss?" Ichigo asked calmly.

Who knew how far they had walked, and they were still continuing after an hour of just roaming around Seireitei. This was slowly irritating the taller captain but still had to wait till the smaller one talked to him. But trying the patience of a great noble… that would just be asking for suicide, and so Toushirou stopped.

"So you don't remember your human life?" The small one asked.  
"I have told you that I do not _remember_ you." He replied.  
"Then," Toushirou turned to him, "I'm sorry for wanting to attack you."  
"Your reasons were of your own, but note this." The tall one started. "I would not have brought out my zanpakuto out of the respect to the others."  
"How can you be the head of the Kasumiouji Clan if you don't remember?"

"Your question should be, 'where is Hinamori Momo,' should it not?" Ichigo asked.

Toushirou's eyes widened at this and tensed angrily, "where… is… Hinamori…"  
"I sent her away for a little while," but he answered, "she's not in Seireitei."  
"What did you say?" His hand went to the hilt of his zanpakuto.  
"The girl needed time off, and so I personally escorted her to go to the first district outside these walls. She is to spend time with your grandmother." He stated.

The small captain loosened up and looked at him, "…why?"

"Did you loosen your anger because I told you what you wanted to hear, or because you blade will not listen to you?" Ichigo asked, just before seeing him blush.  
"You and I were close before you died, and because I listened to you, Hyorinmaru listens to you and Zangetsu as well." He replied.  
"Then you will have to hate me, to have him released."  
"That's… not possible anymore." He looked at the ground.

"It seems that, what I had done as human, has made you so emotionally attached that you would dare leave your guard down so drastically." Ichigo watched him real close, just to see the small one widen his eyes again. "To see that reaction, it should only be more clear to you now more than ever, to forget the past and move forward."

Toushirou's fists tightened a little; frustration swarming him, "I understand," he then paused to bite on his bottom lip—contemplating on whether or not he should tell him about _them_, and… he did. "I thought that our relationship from when you were alive would be strong enough to stay with you as you came to Soul Society," the small captain had to pause again. He was trembling now, and was about to become teary. "I know it was only a week, but you let us…" Toushirou paused, "you let us go far."

By now, tears were already in his eyes, but he tried to fight them off before they could fall. A hand went on his head and he sharply gasped in surprise, so he quickly looked up to see him looking away. There was such a stoic expression on his face that it hurt him just to even look at him now. His feminine hand lifted up to cling onto the taller one's robe, but stopped, this man was not his Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" A voice called out with some curiosity.  
"Having a private conversation." Ichigo replied and released Toushirou's head.  
The small captain looked at the stranger, it was a high class young woman, "…"  
"Can we listen too?" Her hands snaked around his waist. "We'll be quiet about it."  
"You know better than to go unattended, where is Enryuu?" Scowled the tall one.  
"!!" Enryuu waved frantically as he was running over to them.  
She smiled sheepishly, "but we really wanted to see you," she kissed his cheek.  
_'Tch.'_ Toushirou looked away, disgusted by the woman.

"That is enough," Ichigo spoke sternly, so she released him.  
"You're so mean," the young woman stated.  
"!?" Enryuu waved at her to be quiet.

"Hitsugaya taichou, this is the true heiress, Kasumiouji Lurichiyo." Ichigo introduced, "Lurichiyo, this is Hitsugaya Toushirou taichou of tenth division." He finished.

"Hello." Toushirou bowed his head; he may not like her, but she's a noble.  
Lurichiyo looked at the small captain and retorted, "he's just a kid though…"  
_'Kid?'_ He tensed in annoyance, but was snapped out of it.  
"Respect you elders before one kills you." Ichigo stated. "Now apologize."  
"Eh?" Lurichiyo frowned at the tall one. "But we didn't insult him."

She only looked as if she could be just a year younger than Toushirou, but they were at least the same height. There must have been some political emergency that needed a leader for the Kasumiouji clan had to react to. It seemed unlikely that an outside of the family would become leader of a clan altogether, and without marriage even. The girl was now bowing to him as she apologized for calling him a kid, so he looked at Ichigo to see him bow his head to have him do the same.

Toushirou nodded and bowed, "it's alright, thank you."

Lurichiyo then turned back to Ichigo, as if Toushirou was just a nobody once again.  
"Can you leave early so we can hurry and have dinner soon, please?"  
Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her plea as he slid his hands in his sleeves, "we will have two guests next week because of your rude behavior and lack of respect to others."  
"Lack of respect?" She looked at him in disbelief, not able to believe she heard that.  
"!!" Enryuu tried to calm down the young lady as quickly as possible.

"One said that we were having a private conversation, and you have been rudely interrupting it for the past few minutes." Ichigo stated sternly. "As an apology for this, Hitsugaya taichou and his fukutaichou can come to the—" He stopped mid sentence.

"Ichigo?" Lurichiyo recognized his reaction. "It's that stupid wound again, isn't it?"

Wound?

Toushirou looked to the tall captain, he didn't seem wounded though, then again Ichigo was good at being secretive. A familiar reiatsu appeared, and he turned to see that Byakuya had showed up… was this going to cause trouble? Ichigo turned to him stoically without showing any sign of pain—he was not showing them to being with though. The servant of the Kasumiouji heir brought Lurichiyo back a little bit so that the two clan leaders could talk. Byakuya stopped five feet away, only looking at the head of the Kasumiouji clan, as if the others were inferior bugs.

"I would have figured, using such ridiculous amount to destroy the gillian with one swing." Byakuya scolded. "You should have left them to your division to handle."

"Then I would not have been so entertained." Ichigo replied  
"If you do not have faith in your division, you are not a captain."  
"If you do not have faith in your lieutenant, neither are you." He replied.  
The older captain scolded him, "are you going to test our agreement, Kasumiouji?"  
"Of course not. But you are just as hot headed as ever since I hit a marking point."  
Toushirou slowly started to step back, feeling the tense situation, "…"

Byakuya hummed in thought, then replied, "I suggest that you stay at your division lodge tonight, the clans can reschedule the dinner plans to another day."  
"A minor set back that does not need attention to." The orange-haired stated.  
"As much as I would enjoy to test your theory, I will withdraw from it."  
"I will have someone of the fourth division over see to the wound, do not worry so much of the set backs." Ichigo stated, nodding his head to him.  
He returned the motion and turned to leave, "perhaps Hitsugaya should escort you."

After he left, Ichigo turned to the three that were twenty feet away now, and he raised an eyebrow, "why are you so far behind?" He came to them and patted the young woman's head, "go back to the mansion now, I will be a little late."

"You and Kuchiki-sama are scary when you talk…" Lurichiyo stated nervously.  
"Really?" Ichigo questioned. "It had seemed like a normal conversation, we both are  
quite arrogant if you have not noticed." Then he noticed. "Sorry, our reiatsu right?"  
She nodded and then clung to his arm. "So you'll be there for the dinner?"  
"If you do not go home, you will be sent to bed after dinner."  
"No! We're going, We're going!" Lurichiyo gave him a kiss on the cheek and left.  
"!!" Enryuu bowed to Ichigo hurriedly and ran after the runaway Lurichiyo.

Ichigo sighed lightly in a little annoyance, "such poor attitude for an heir."

Toushirou looked up at him, was he talking to him now? "…heir?"  
"Yes," he looked to the small one. "I am the head of the clan because I have done much, and the council thought it would be best for the time being."  
"So… you're… going to marry her?" The thought made him dread in fear.  
"Perhaps, but nothing is written in stone." Ichigo explained. "Once she is of proper age, it will be her decision to take place as the leader, or have me keep it."  
"Which… which would you want?" The small captain asked.

"It does not matter what it is I desire," he turned and began to walk towards the unit of the fourth division, "I understand that I will stay as the head of the clan because I have done much for everyone." Ichigo then added, "but even so, I have to endure."

Toushirou, who was following the tall captain, asked confusedly, "endure what?"  
He turned to look at him, "do you have interest in nobility? Or just in myself?"  
His cheeks flushed, hoping he wasn't supposed to really answer that, "just curious…"  
"Though I will stay as the head of the clan, I will have to help produce the next heir."  
_'Oh.'_ That was probably something that he didn't want to hear, no matter what.  
"You seem insulted," Ichigo mused, and watched the small one blush even more.

"I-I… I'm just not used to hearing it in that manner." He lied.

Toushirou looked at him, wondering if he was going to believe him or not, and it just didn't seem like it. When his hand raised, the small captain flinched for an unknown reason, and felt his hand come up to his head. He looked up at the tall captain with a confused expression, but received a stoic one in return like the last time.

"If I did not know better, I would say you are jealous of Lurichiyo." Ichigo stated. "I will head to the fourth unit, whether you decide to accompany me will be on your own agenda." After removing his hand, he walked off, "afterwards you may follow."

Of course Toushirou was going to follow, he had no idea that the fifth captain was wounded damn it! But he was surprised because all the other times he was wounded, he always seemed to hate them, now he just doesn't care? Then again, it just didn't really matter anymore—this was not the teen that he knew, so he needed to let go.

**X-**

"Kasumiouji taichou, how did this happen?" Retsu asked, taking care of his wounds in a private room with Toushirou, Rangiku, Kenryuu, and Isane inside it.

Ichigo remained silent while going in thought of what had happened to him, and closed his eyes to show that he didn't want to explain what had happened so long ago, he was still new back then. The wound that he had was obviously a stab with a sword; going in his stomach and out through his back side, but this didn't explain all of the scorch marks around the main sighting of the location. Retsu could understand that he didn't want to talk about it, so she turned her attention to the lieutenant of the fifth division, but he was also rather distant on the subject she wanted to know. This was irritating Rangiku though because Ichigo really thought of himself as a noble; she wanted to yell at him, she really did, but there was such a concerned look on her captain's face that she couldn't. Isane was just so surprised that this captain could be so wounded without showing any grimaces to the pain, was it because he was now a noble, and that they weren't supposed to show any sides of weakness.

"Snow." Ichigo spoke, startling everyone in the room.  
"…" Toushirou swallowed, not sure if he was talking about him.  
Rangiku watched her captain become a little stiff, _'taichou??'_  
"Do… you like snow Kasumiouji taichou?" Isane asked curiously.  
He opened his eyes to look at her, "I am fond of the season."  
She lightly blushed at the eye contact and responded, "o-oh."  
Rangiku heard Toushirou snort lightly in jealously. _'Wait…'_

"It is snowing outside," Ichigo explained, "if you listen, you can hear it."

Everyone became quiet to hear the snow, but they didn't hear anything, and just had to wonder if the captain was a little crazy. Kenryuu cracked open the sliding door to reveal the outside world to the people in the room, and indeed it was snowing. They all looked back to the wounded captain to see that his eyes were closed and his lips were curved up into a small smile. Toushirou smiled softly in relief to see that the man had become to strong over the years—it was a shame he couldn't remember.

After his body was bandaged, the tall captain stood up from the recovery bed and placed on his robes, "thank you for the treatment, I feel much better now."  
"I don't think you should leave just yet," Retsu frown, "your internal bleeding is bad."  
"I have been dealing with it for some time now," he replied, "unless you have any suggestions of what I can do to treat it myself, I should leave."

"Will it be alright if I allow a ranked officer stay at your side for two weeks to heal you whenever it is necessary?" Retsu requested in a soft tone. "This alone will make me feel more at ease to know that you will not be putting yourself through harm."

Ichigo placed on the long sleeve haori on, "I cannot argue with a woman who is heavily concerned." He smoothed out the haori, "I will accept the offer."  
Her head bowed, "Isane, please bring Hanatarou here."  
"Yes ma'am," Isane blinked confusedly before leaving.  
"Ichigo-sama." Kenryuu spoke, receiving everyone's attention.  
Ichigo looked to his lieutenant though and replied. "What is it?"  
"The meeting will begin in three hours, I suggest that the process should hurry."

"Why are you so nervous?" Questioned the orange-haired captain. "I am in no rush to flaunt with the other nobles, and as you know, Byakuya himself is in no rush for this either, what with having to indulge towards opposing voices," Ichigo was then silent for the moment, again brought into thought before chuckling. "Fool."

Toushirou had shivered at the chuckle, _'how can he still do that?'_  
_'No… he couldn't, could he?'_ Rangiku looked at the small captain, slowly starting to see it now, and looked at Ichigo. _'He's been different because…'_  
"Do you plan to stare long as you think?" Ichigo asked, looking at her in annoyance.  
"O-oh, sorry Kasumiouji taichou!" Rangiku said cheerfully, causing great suspicion.  
"Ichigo!!" A voice called out, running into the room and hugging him, "you bastard!  
Why didn't you tell me that you became a taichou!"

"Why is it that everyone woman beneath the taichou level I have come across tends to blush, stutter, or cling to me as if I am their one and only hope of life." Ichigo asked in annoyance, trying to remove this girl. "You know better than to do so."

"You died over twenty years ago and I find out that you're not only are you the head of the Kasumiouji clan, but you're also a taichou?!" She fumed.  
"Your brother wished for it to be confidential towards you. It seems that someone cannot refrain from doing this. So tell me Abarai, should I tell your taichou?"  
Renji peeked in nervously and waved, "yo, Ichigo-"

Ichigo vanished into thin air for a split second, then appeared in front of Renji who screeched and fell on his butt, and he spoke, "be grateful that I am on grounds where it is requested to not harm others." He glared. "Shall you cross your taichou again, you will suffer." Then lastly added to both Renji and Rukia. "You will address me by my title, with the exception for Kuchiki Rukia who may address by surname and nothing lower."

Toushirou frowned, _'you're… colder than me now… aren't you, Kurosaki?'_

**Author Note**: Okay, okay, here's the link to my IchixHitsu doujinshi on deviantART will be posted on my profile for those who want to see it and I'm working on another story called _"Inescapable"_ where it takes longer for the two to like each other. But because Vampire Knight season 2 is airing now, I want to go back to working on Vampire!IchixHitsu


	8. Chapter 08

**Author Note:** Wah, I got addicted to _**Benihime teh uber dork**_'s story, um… "Behind Closed Doors" I think, but the sad thing is that they haven't updated in forever, so now I must cry and throw myself into another NEW IchiHitsu story where Hitsugaya Toushirou is Crown Prince, or, so he thinks!

**Chapter 08**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

After his body was bandaged, the tall captain stood up from the recovery bed and placed on his robes, "thank you for the treatment, I feel much better now."  
"I don't think you should leave just yet," Retsu frown, "your internal bleeding is bad."  
"I have been dealing with it for some time now," he replied, "unless you have any suggestions of what I can do to treat it myself, I should leave."

"Will it be alright if I allow a ranked officer stay at your side for two weeks to heal you whenever it is necessary?" Retsu requested in a soft tone. "This alone will make me feel more at ease to know that you will not be putting yourself through harm."

Ichigo placed on the long sleeve haori on, "I cannot argue with a woman who is heavily concerned." He smoothed out the haori, "I will accept the offer."  
Her head bowed, "Isane, please bring Hanatarou here."  
"Yes ma'am," Isane blinked confusedly before leaving.  
"Ichigo-sama." Kenryuu spoke, receiving everyone's attention.  
Ichigo looked to his lieutenant though and replied. "What is it?"  
"The meeting will begin in three hours, I suggest that the process should hurry."

"Why are you so nervous?" Questioned the orange-haired captain. "I am in no rush to flaunt with the other nobles, and as you know, Byakuya himself is in no rush for this either, what with have to indulge towards opposing voices," Ichigo was then silent for the moment, again brought into though before chuckling. "Fool."

Toushirou had shivered at the chuckle, _'how can he still do that?'_  
_'No… he couldn't, could he?'_ Rangiku looked at the small captain, slowly starting to see it now, and looked at Ichigo. _'He's been different because…'_  
"Do you plan to stare long as you think?" Ichigo asked, looking at her in annoyance.  
"O-oh, sorry Kasumiouji taichou!" Rangiku said cheerfully, causing great suspicion.  
"Ichigo!!" A voice called out, running into the room and hugging him, "you bastard! Why didn't you tell me that you became a taichou!"

"Why is it that everyone woman beneath the taichou level I have come across tends to blush, stutter, or cling to me as if I am their one and only hope of life." Ichigo asked in annoyance, trying to remove this girl. "You should no better than to do so."

"You died over twenty years ago and I find out that you're not only are you the head of the Kasumiouji clan, but you're also a taichou?!" She fumed.  
"Your brother wished for it to be confidential towards you. It seems that someone cannot refrain from doing this. So tell me Abarai, should I tell your taichou?"  
Renji peeked in nervously and waved, "yo, Ichigo-"

Ichigo vanished into thin air for a split second, then appeared in front of Renji who screeched and fell on his butt, and he spoke, "be grateful that I am on grounds where it is requested to not harm others." He glared. "Shall you cross your taichou again, you will suffer." Then lastly added to both Renji and Rukia. "You will address me by my title, with the exception for Kuchiki Rukia who may address by surname and nothing lower."

Toushirou frowned, _'you're… colder than me now… aren't you, Kurosaki?'_

**- Now -**

Two months passed slower than anyone could believe… it was probably because there was nothing to do though; no trouble at all. Toushirou would have dreams with Ichigo two nights a month, he recognized the pattern of it being on the full moon, and the new moon. He didn't understand though—not that he really should though if he says to not worry about it, but still. Now that he was awake in the middle of the night, he couldn't really go back to sleep anymore so he got up and looked around.

It was a bit alarming staying at the Kasumiouji mansion; both Hitsugaya Toushirou and Matsumoto were guests for the night because Lurichiyo had been rude to the small captain a bit, again. Toushirou walked around in his white night robe and walked tiredly down the hallways in hopes of either becoming exhausted or wide awake; whichever would take over his mind, he just wished that it would hurry up. The sound of a loud snap caused his mind to wake up and become fully alert to his surroundings as he heard the noise again along with a voice as it went on for a little over five minutes. He came to huge doors—not as big as the first division quarters though—and heard a man grunting every couple of seconds, so he creaked the door open just a little so he could peek inside without disturbing whoever it was, then froze.

Ichigo was training in the middle of the night?

"What is it?" The sweaty man asked.  
He jumped in surprise for being discovered. "N-nothing."  
"Come in and close the doors." Ichigo stated, returning to his training.  
"Sure…" his small body came into the room and closed the doors behind him.  
"You cannot sleep?" Asked the one in training. "You look exhausted."  
Toushirou looked away, "I couldn't go back to sleep, so I was walking around."  
"You can get into trouble if you are not careful." He retorted, kicking a punching bag.

"I-Ichi-… Kasumiouji," the small captain paused, "why do you talk like that?"  
"I am a noble, as such, the utmost respect needs to be given and received."  
As he watched the tall one train, he frowned and replied, "you were better before…"  
Ichigo had punched the air, but stayed in that position for the moment. "…"

"You would do anything to protect the ones you care about, and even those that you didn't know." Toushirou stated. "You kept promises, you got stronger, but in the end you were so stupid as to fight Aizen yourself and get killed…" He sniffled.

The tall one put his arm to his side and stood straight; he could feel the worry and the upset emotions coming from the small one. Ichigo watched this small captain with the others, he was always an elite towards them, but faltered greatly when they were together without others. He sighed in annoyance and squatted down to look at the little captain at eye level, but Toushirou lowered his gaze. His hand came to the small one's chin and had him look up at him in the face so he could speak to him.

"I can't give you what you want," Ichigo stated, dropping the noble tone, "you have to stop remembering the past, do you understand me, Hitsugaya Toushirou?" His hand came up and rustled his hair gently. "You can't compare me now to back then."

Toushirou's eyes immediately began to tear up at this speech, it sounded just like him when he was a human, and he hated it. He began to cry in front of the much more stronger captain, and so he lifted his sleeves to wipe them away. His body was then pulled forth against the tall one's chest, causing him to stop in order to see if it was true. The small captain took the invitation and wrapped his arms around Ichigo neck, sobbing into his shoulder with both sadness and anger. Ichigo noticed that he was bottling things up deep inside him, and his attitude was affecting others a little.

"You child," Ichigo sighed, "do you want to back to bed?" There was a nod against his bear shoulder, "alright then," so he grabbed the long sleeve haori and covered the little one up before picking him up in his arms. "You have to quiet down though."

The little one tried to stop sobbing so recklessly and just bit Ichigo's neck to keep himself quiet which thankfully helped a little. He didn't hear any complaints from the one who carried him out of the room and down the hallways. His sobbing started to lighten up, so he removed his teeth from Ichigo's neck, only to have blood leak out from the penetrated skin. Toushirou frowned worriedly and buried his face into his shoulder again and apologized for biting him so hard, then sobbed even more.

"Taichou…" Rangiku spoke with surprise; never seeing him like this.  
Toushirou cringed and hid himself more against Ichigo; trying to stop crying, "…"  
She took this the wrong and became defensive, "what did you do to taichou?!"  
"He wanted to train with me, but it seems that I was too strong for him and so I hurt him without even noticing it as we continued." Ichigo stated.  
"You're a horrible person!" Rangiku brought out her zanpakuto to fight.

"You, fight me? In this mansion?" The noble scowled and walked past her. "You will not attack me with your taichou here, will you, woman?" With that he left her there.

Ichigo placed the small one on the futon that he had left earlier and removed the haori his body to tuck him in with the covers. The small one was slowly falling asleep but didn't want to just yet, he had things to ask before it happens. As the noble got up from his side, Toushirou tiredly clung to his leg, having him turn around to see him.

"Can I use… your haori… as a cover?" Toushirou asked exhaustedly.  
With no reply, the haori was placed over the covers, "…"  
"Can you stay… a… little longer?" His eyes started to droop.  
"Till you sleep." Ichigo replied, meaning for a few minutes.  
"Why did…" he closed his eyes, "you lie…" his voice trailed, "to Matsumoto…"

The tall captain watched the little one for a few minutes before kneeling down and gently kissing him on the forehead before standing back up and turn away, "it was to protect you, and what remaining pride you have left, Hitsugaya Toushirou."

**X-**

His eyes opened tiredly and rubbed them to feel dried tears on his face, and it had only reminded him that he had literally sobbed like a child; how disgraceful. Even so, he could remember that warm securing feeling when being in the arms of Ichigo, and already he missed it. He must've seemed pathetic to the tall one, not to mention that he possibly scared Matsumoto pretty good too. This made him sit up on the futon, wondering if the other captain has killed his lieutenant yet, so he quickly changed.

"Hitsugaya-sama," a servant called out, "breakfast is ready."  
These servants had such low spiritual power that it scared him sometimes, "fine."  
"The others are waiting," the man finished and left.  
"Wait, I don't remember where the dining room is!" He fumed at the servant.

After quickly getting dressed, he decided to wait on his haori a little longer because he wasn't going just yet, so he opened the door and- "what is your hurry?"

"Ah!" Toushirou fell over, cursing. "Why the hell couldn't I sense you?!"  
He raised an eyebrow and tapped on the shield. "To give you space." Ichigo broke off the kido and came inside, "You are going to wear those to breakfast?"  
Not understanding, he looked at his shinigami outfit and asked. "What's wrong?"  
"The other clans are here to dine for breakfast with representatives." He shrugged it off, "I suppose you're attire does not matter for the occasion."  
"Should I put on my haori?" He didn't want Ichigo to look bad.  
"No, Soi Fon and Matsumoto are doing the same." Ichigo replied and turned to leave.  
"I-Ichigo," damn, he told himself not to call him that anymore.

"Why do you stutter?" The taller one asked.  
"I never got used to calling you it." He replied.  
"Well what is it?" Ichigo questioned.  
"I'm sorry about last night… I shouldn't have…"

Ichigo turned to him while placing his hands in his sleeves, "it had to be done," he stated easily. "Containing everything inside you just because you may or may not be judged by can hurt you." The tall one walked out, "come along now, the reason why I am here is because I did not need you to get lost."

Toushirou scurried to his side and clung to his sleeve without even thinking about it, and the noble paid no attention to it for a while. It was a little obvious that the little one would be a bit insecure after what happened earlier that morning. Once they were at the doors though, he had to tell the little one to let go or suffer more embarrassment than either of them needed at the moment.

"We can go in after you release my arm." Ichigo whispered quietly.  
He looked up at him and then the hand cling to him and immediately let go, "sorry."  
His head nodded and opened the doors, "my apologies for being late, it seems the servant was rather rude for not trying to escort one of our guests."  
"Hitsugaya," Soi Fon looked surprised, "I almost thought his other guest would be a girl, then we would've dominated all the guys by far."  
"I thought Ichigo was going to bring in Little Lurichiyo." Yoruichi grinned.  
Kuukaku smirked, "I thought it would be that other girl with orange-haired, Inoue?"

"You women make me out to be a womanizer more than a noble." Ichigo replied in a bit of annoyance, and looked to Byakuya, "rather surprising you would bring her."  
"She insisted on coming once she found out you were a noble." Byakuya stated.  
"I see, so you have not taught him a lesson for sneaking," he shrugged mildly.  
"Ichigo-sama, are you ready?" Kenryuu called out.  
"Yes, yes, bring the food in." Ichigo replied.

A voice came screaming with such a whining tone "ICHIGO!!"

Everyone flinched as the mansion practically shook, and Ichigo sighed, "…"  
"W-what was that just now…?" Rukia trembled in fear.  
"Ichigo's little girlfriend," Yoruichi purred with interest.  
"I would see it as a pond to ruling a clan." Byakuya retorted.  
"I would agree," Ichigo sighed, "but I do not care for the position."  
"…" They all looked at him rather confusedly, except for Byakuya.  
Lurichiyo slammed the dining room doors open, "Ichigo you jerk-!!"

Ichigo looked at her, "what is it now?" He looked curious, "and why are you crying?"  
"You didn't wake us up for breakfast! Why are you having a breakfast meeting?!"  
"Kids." He sighed and got up. "You had a nightmare when I checked up on you, so I woke you before tucking you into bed, do you remember?"  
"If you just woke us up to go to bed, then of course we don't!"  
"Go get cleaned up and I will take you somewhere later on today." Ichigo stated.  
She looked at him with a pouting look. "Just us?"

"Yes, now go." The noble practically shooed her away.

Yoruichi gave a pout when the girl left, "you're so mean Ichigo."  
"I can deal with crying as greatly as the next man could, but she takes it too far."  
"She reminds me of Nel," Rukia looked to the others, "she clung to Ichigo almost immediately and was a bit scary at times around me."  
"Haha!! You're kidding me!" Ganju cracked up. "Ichigo a pedophile?!"  
"If you cannot handle her whining, I doubt you can handle having her bear a child." Byakuya replied to Ichigo, and the battle of strong male nobles began.

"Oh? So how do you go about bringing an heir for yourself?" Ichigo looked at Byakuya with interest. "I highly doubt that Rukia's child would make you pleased."  
"That matter that has no interest to you." Byakuya retorted, slowly raising his riatsu.  
"Defensive, are we?" His riatsu easily leveled on his. "_My_ heir is not important."  
He raised it a little more, "is that because you will not fond over that young woman?"  
Ichigo raised his a little more as well, "then do you supposed that you will-"

"Will you two stop?! You're going to kill these six!" Yoruichi yelled.  
Byakuya snorted lightly, as if he did nothing. "The boy started it."  
"You are going to act like a child again? Shinigami are annoying."  
"What… the… hell… Ichigo…" Ganju panted, "you're… a… shinigami…"  
"Too?" He nearly laughed. "The breed is far more _dangerous_ than that."  
"Yes, it was amazing that the sotaichou wanted you to become a taichou even after being told of what you can become." Byakuya stated.  
"Yet he was quite aware that I have full control over it, mind you."  
"…" He hummed in response as the food came to them.

"If you're not a shinigami, then what are you?" Soi Fon scowled.  
Yoruichi purred with interest, "he's a dangerous wild man."  
"Basically." Ichigo agreed carelessly.  
"…" Rangiku scowled at him.

"…vizard."

Everyone turned besides Byakuya, Ichigo, and Yoruichi to look in surprise at the small one who said that, but the orange-haired captain replied. "Ah, so you know?"  
"You showed me the potential before…" he replied quietly.  
"Taichou, I don't understand." Rangiku frowned.

"It's a shinigami who illegally acquires hollow powers." Yoruichi stated. "Because he had to become a shinigami, he had to fight becoming a hollow, once he did, he had a hollow presence within him." She looked to the others, "the former taichou and fukutaichou who learned this had taught him to control it a while back."

Soi Fon looked surprised, "…a shinigami and hollow? Just like…"  
"Why waste your time on that story?" Ichigo asked. "The food is getting cold."  
"You're a monster," Rangiku stated, staring at Ichigo who just took a bite.  
"Matsumoto!" Toushirou glared at the lieutenant. "Apologize to your superior."  
Both Byakuya and Yoruichi looked at man who stayed quiet. "…"  
Ganju defended him, "your the monster, woman. He didn't do anything to you."  
"Ganju," Kuukaku sighed in annoyance, not wanting a fight that involved him.  
"I'm not a traitor to Soul Society by obtaining these powers." Rangiku scowled.  
"He didn't have a choice, he would've killed himself if he didn't." Toushirou stated.  
"Why are you trying to defend him?" She asked confusedly, but nearly yelling.  
"Why are you so worked on-" Rukia was interrupted.

"That is quite enough." Ichigo stated, gathering everyone's attention. "It does not matter what you see me as," he looked at her, "if the fact that I pledged myself to protect others such as an entire division makes me a monster, then that is fine."

"You-" Rangiku was interrupted, and sent into fear.  
"**I am not finished.**" His spiritual power beamed down tremendously on her.  
She didn't know what to do at this point—she could barely even breathe. "…"

"Vizard are those who have been disowned by Soul Society and rejected by hollows." His pressure then loosened for everyone. "I do not care for the fact that you dislike me, but hiding other excuses for the misinterpretation between myself and Hitsugaya Toushirou." He saw her gasp. "It was obvious that you blame me for his actions."

Toushirou looked at Rangiku, "why?"  
She looked at the table, "you've been different ever since."  
"Now then," Ichigo spoke, "I apologize for my rude guest."  
"Accepted." Byakuya stated and took a bite of his food.

"Soi Fon, I have a little task for you later…" Yoruichi began whispering in her ear.

**X-**

"You're later than usual." Ringed a lazy, but charming, voice.

Ichigo was just arriving at Seireitei, it was normal for Kyouraku Shunsui to see him coming from the first district of the Rukongai. A young woman was behind the late captain while clinging to one of his sleeves, and she peaked out to look at the other captain. Shunsui seemed surprised to see her, but smiled warmly anyhow; seeing the young woman made him happy. So of course he had to ask if she was ready, and the orange-haired captain nodded confidently before looking to the girl. Hinamori Momo looked at her captain with a smile and nodded happily to confirm this answer.

"So are you going to be fukutaichou again now?" Shunsui smiled warmly.  
"No, I'll have her become reacquainted with the division though." Ichigo stated.  
Momo smiled sheepishly, "sorry for causing any trouble in the past."  
The older captain blinked before laughing and waving his hand, "you did nothing."  
A hand went to Momo's head, "if you'll excuse us, we need to talk with sotaichou, and afterwards this little one needs to apologize to her friend."  
"Saving the best for last, huh? Why not drink some sake to that?" Shunsui grinned.  
Ichigo bowed lightly at the thoughtful offer, "I have paperwork to do, so I am busy."

"As should you, Kyouraku taichou…" a voice called out.  
Shunsui frowned and looked at his lieutenant, "Nanao-chan, you're so mean."  
Ichigo chuckled and placed his hands in his sleeves, "I find it amusing when women are cuter when their angry." He looked to Momo, "both of these girls prove it."  
Momo and Nanao blushed, "K-Kasumiouji taichou."  
He looked at them confusedly, "what? You both blush?"  
Shunsui whined at all of this, "don't sweet talk my Nanao-chan!"  
"I'm not your Nanao-chan…" his lieutenant growled at him in frustration.  
Ichigo chuckled and bowed lightly to the two, "we should leave before I laugh."

Momo watched the orange-haired captain begin to walk away, so she quickly bowed to the two, "it was nice to see you both again," then she hurried to Ichigo's side.

"She's really better now?" Nanao in a suspicious manner. "It's not even passed the third month since she was discharged."  
"Ichigo-kun's a good man," Shunsui said in a relaxed manner, "so are his intentions."  
She looked at him, then at the girl who was clinging to the captain, "but she still-"  
"He'll let her cling to him for a while, and slowly pushed back into line most likely."  
"Isn't that a little a little reckless? She'll just get attached again." Nanao frowned.

"We'll see how things go." Shunsui replied with a smile.

Ichigo went forth to talking with Old Yamamoto with Momo behind her captain with silence to respect them both. This pleased the head captain, and granted her return with welcoming arms, and respected Ichigo's choice. Momo was allowed to return to the fifth division but was not allowed to fully participate just yet, and had to stay with her captain until relieved for the day. Once this was accomplished, they both thanked the old man and left to do many other things that had to be dealt with. Kenryuu was finally introduced to the girl before they headed off to the tenth unit in Seireitei, so the lieutenant went back to his work, allowing them to leave.

Ichigo knocked on the office door, and heard a 'who is it' in a bit of a grumpy tone which made him a little interested, "Kasumiouji Ichigo." Toushirou said to enter easily, and so he opened the door just enough to be seen, and saw Rangiku glaring at him angrily. "Still annoyed? I guess that cannot be helped."

"Humph," Rangiku looked away in annoyance.  
"Matsumoto." Toushirou scolded at the woman.  
"How about we trade for an hour?" Ichigo offered.  
He looked at Ichigo in confusion, "what do you mean?"

"Simple." The taller one started. "You allow me to borrow your fukutaichou for a little conversation, and I will let you speak to her." He slid the door open more to show.

Toushirou stood from his seat in surprise, "Hinamori!"  
Momo bowed quickly, "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble Hitsugaya taichou."  
He paused, not really expected it that fast from her, "n-no, it's alright…"  
She looked up at him, "Kasumiouji took great care of me, granny too."  
Ichigo smiled lightly and patted her on the head, "I will leave for now then."  
Toushirou nodded and looked at Rangiku, "will you talk with Kasumiouji, _nicely_?"  
Rangiku rolled her eyes and got up, "only because taichou wants me too."

With that, Rangiku followed Ichigo out of the administration office and noticed how they were slowly heading for his lodge. "It will be a private conversation, I have no interest or intentions of subduing you in any form." He stated rather coldly.

True, this had her lighten up a little, but not enough to make her completely safe with him, being a _**vizard**_ and all. It annoyed her to no end that this person had hurt her captain for years, and then sees the little captain sobbing in his arms. Something wasn't right—she didn't know what it was though either, and this made her really upset. A few minutes went by and they obviously came to his room because he had been the gentlemen to slide open the door for her to enter. Keeping a very close eye on the captain, she walked inside and he followed in shortly after while sliding the door closed once they were both inside.

"I had no idea you would react so irrationally when I joined the Gotei 13," Ichigo spoke as he pulled off his haori and hung it on a coat rack. "Interesting really."  
"What do you want, _Kasumiouji_ taichou." Rangiku nearly spat his name.  
He thought about it for a moment, "you seem more angrier than I recall."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" She kept a sharp eye on him.  
"Do you want me to tell you, or would you rather slap me?"  
Boy was she tempted to slap him, so she remained quiet. "…"

Ichigo sighed as he sat on the ground and waited for her to do the same, and once she did, he spoke too casually now, "I guess there are many reasons as to why I'm like this, Rangiku-san," he added, "I'll tell you if you keep quiet towards Toushirou."

Rangiku stared at him, did he just…

**X-**

"I'm sorry I was being so selfish, and really hard on you." Momo said quietly, sitting on the couch in the administrative office in Toushirou's care. "Kasumiouji taichou was a little stern with me and had me go to Granny's, but he turned out to be really nice."

Toushirou smiled for two reasons: Momo seemed better, and she complimented Ichigo, "that's good to hear. So are you his fukutaichou now?"  
"No, I'm supposed to stay at his side for a while, until he's positive I can handle it."  
"So he's been taking good care of you?" He asked, sitting at the desk.  
"He visited us everyday and tells us what happens. Granny smiles when the subjects leaned towards you." Momo spoke quietly. "It was funny."  
Funny? _**Kasumiouji**_ Ichigo, funny? "What did he say?"

She turned around on the couch to look at him. "It's a secret."

The captain looked at her dumbly, "you can't tell me he talks about me and then not tell me, Hinamori. How am I supposed to know if their insults or not?"  
"He doesn't." Momo smiled. "Today he told us about you staying the night."  
His attention went elsewhere when thinking how he cried. "Oh…"  
"He told us that you got lost in the hallways and was spying on him."  
"I was not!" Toushirou fumed, his cheeks flushing instantly. "I heard someone so I went to go see what it was, and it just turned out to be him!"

Momo giggled, "he said you would panic if I brought it up, I'm glad you two are close enough to be friends. Granny was happy about that too," she then remembered, "did you know taichou is super nice to her? She said when I was asleep, he was doing all of the chores and everything? And all the kids really liked him!"

He stared at her, "a-are you sure y-you're talking about K-Kasumiouji I-Ichigo?"

The girl looked at him confusedly, "yeah, I've seen him do the chores a few times."  
Toushirou twitched in thought, _'a noble… helping a commoner… are you sure…?'_  
"Shiro-chan," she called out softly, looking at him over the couch, "do you like him?"  
Ignoring the fact that she didn't call him by his title, he asked, "what do you mean?"

Momo took a moment to think about it, but smiled warmly. "When I pretend to sleep, taichou and Granny would talk softly, and he would speak about you to her, about how you've grown into a strong person." She then frowned slightly and looked away, "but because I know a lot… I have to be quiet about it too, but every time they would talk, it would go for hours—till Granny was tired and wanted to go to sleep."

Toushirou looked at the desk in thought because it didn't make sense to him why this man would talk to Granny about him, and why would he help her out…

"Kasumiouji taichou says that the previous relationship you had really meant a lot to you, and so he was trying to help, but he can't do much." She stated.  
The captain looked at her, "I don't understand though, why would…" he paused.  
Her body turned around to sit properly on the couch, "because…"  
Toushirou scowled at this, "because _**why**_, Hinamori?"

"He wants to protect you."

**X-**

"I wanted to protect him," Ichigo stated quietly.

Rangiku looked stunned, "you… you really remember everything?"  
His head nodded slowly. "I'm still the idiot you guys met when I came saving Rukia."  
"Then tell me why you're lying to everyone!" She fumed.  
"To protect Toushirou," Ichigo answered, "things happened so fast back then…"  
"How can you protect taichou by hurting him?!" The lieutenant was furious.

"You saw how he reacted when Aizen was finishing me off, how horrified he was," he brought his hand up to rub his forehead. "Before I knew it, half of Soul Society was looking for me in Rukongai and on earth." Ichigo sighed, not knowing how to keep going, "I didn't mean to have him so attached, but look what happened…"

Rangiku finally was positive now, "…you two really have that type of relationship."  
Ichigo looked at her quiet as he needed to correct her, "had, Rangiku-san."  
"So… how… how did you keep your memories when you died?" She asked.

"Who said I died?"

**Author Note:** Sorry, it's just… I haven't given you guys a real cliffhanger yet! I think that this was the best part that I left you guys hanging on, muhaha. Um… anyone want anything to happen in my newest story (that isn't out yet) called, "From Where I See," I think that's what I called it… I don't remember, I just started yesterday.

**Summary:** Ichigo, Orihime, Uryuu, and Yasutora want to become Shinigami which are guards for an organization of the Gotei 9 that protect the Emperor and Japan. Those from the village of Karakura are not allowed to join, but no one can remember why that is, will they be able to enter the organization anyway? Hitsugaya Toushirou is the Crown Prince, Ukitake Juushirou is his father is the Emperor, and Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni is the Emperor's father, and their family had been ruling for two decades, but why?

Note: I think I might have Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tousen pick on the little prince by humiliating him somehow. It's possible that they might _try_ to force Ichigo into raping him so they can watch… but you know me—well, know you don't… but whatever.

BUT I WANT _**BENEHIME TEH UBER DORK**_ TO UPDATE. "Behind Closed Doors" Please. ;o;


	9. Chapter 09

Wha?! ANYONE MISS ME?! Haha, had trouble gettin' on my account because I forgot I changed my password and all… Sorry I haven't updated in awhile; I've been working on two Bleach comics (found on deviantART) and stuff. Also, I've been more addicted to my "Live Amongst Us" Bleach fanfic, it's IchiHitsu, and it has some vampirism in it, so I've been into it more. Sorry!

****

Chapter 09

Winters Warm Breath

- Previously -

The captain looked at her dumbly, "you can't tell me he talks about me and then not tell me Hinamori. How am I supposed to know if their insults or not?"  
"He doesn't." Momo smiled. "Today he told us about you staying the night."  
His attention went elsewhere when thinking how he cried. "Oh…"  
"He told us that you got lost in the hallways and was spying on him."  
"I was not!" Toushirou fumed, his cheeks flushing instantly. "I heard someone so I went to go see what it was, and it just turned out to be him!"

Momo giggled, "he said you would panic if I brought it up, I'm glad you two are close enough to be friends. Granny was happy about that too," she then remembered, "did you know taichou is super nice to her? She said when I was asleep, he was doing all of the chores and everything? And all the kids really liked him!"

He stared at her, "a-are you sure y-you're talking about K-Kasumiouji I-Ichigo?"

The girl looked at him confusedly, "yeah, I've seen him do the chores a few times."  
Toushirou twitched in thought, _'a noble… helping a commoner… are you sure…?'_  
"Shiro-chan," she called out softly, looking at him over the couch, "do you like him?"  
Ignoring the fact that she didn't call him by his title, he asked, "what do you mean?"

Momo took a moment to think about it, but smiled warmly. "When I pretend to sleep, taichou and Granny would talk softly, and he would speak about you too her, about how you've grown into a strong person." She then frowned slightly and looked away, "but because I know a lot… I have to be quiet about it too, but every time they would talk, it would go for hours—till Granny was tired and wanted to go to sleep."

Toushirou looked at the desk in thought because it didn't make sense to him why this man would talk to Granny about him, and why would he help her out?

"Kasumiouji taichou says that the previous relationship you had really meant a lot to you, and so he was trying to help, but he can't do much." She stated.  
The captain looked at her, "I don't understand though, why would…" he paused.  
Her body turned around to sit properly on the couch, "because…"  
Toushirou scowled at this, "because _**why**_, Hinamori?"

"He wants to protect you."

**X-**

"I wanted to protect him," Ichigo stated quietly.

Rangiku looked stunned, "you… you really remember everything?"  
His head nodded slowly. "I'm still the idiot you guys met when I came saving Rukia."  
"The tell me why you're lying to everyone!" She fumed.  
"To protect Toushirou," Ichigo answered, "things happened so fast back then…"  
"How can you protect taichou by hurting him?!" The lieutenant was furious.

"You saw how he reacted when Aizen was finishing me off; how horrified he was," he brought his hand up to rub his forehead. "Before I knew it, half of Soul Society was looking for me in Rukongai and on earth." Ichigo sighed, not knowing how to keep going, "I didn't mean to have been so attached, but look what happened…"

Rangiku finally was positive now, "…you two really have that type of relationship."  
Ichigo looked at her quiet as he needed to correct her, "had."  
"So… how… how did you keep your memories when you died?" She asked.

"Who said I died?"

**- Now -**

Spring finally came into bloom for Soul Society, and Hinamori Momo was lieutenant of the fifth division once again, and it made the others happy. Toushirou was one of the happiest though he didn't show it; the fact that she understands what Aizen Sousuke had done to her was good. Momo needed to be free from that hellish night terror one way or the other, and it was thanks to Kasumiouji Ichigo. Speaking of him, the small captain notice that a bond had formed between the tall captain and Rangiku, forcing him to be a little suspicious. Of course he was happy that they were getting along, but the two were getting along a little too well for the small captain…

Like right now, where the heck was Rangiku anyway?

"Taichou!" Sang his oh so faithful lieutenant.  
Toushirou now wished he didn't ask. "Where were you?"  
"I was with Kasumiouji taichou! …then Soi Fon taichou interrupted us."  
He looked at her confusedly, "what do you mean?"

"Well, we were talking, and then she came in with a lustful look before sitting on his lap." Rangiku stated. "She wanted me to join them, but she looked a little drunk and so I didn't want to." She sighed, "two women and one man is no fun."

Toushirou didn't look all to happy about it and stood up from his desk, "are they in his room?" He saw her nod and he began to walk out—  
"Are you really going to interrupt them?" Rangiku asked worriedly.  
He stopped for the moment, thinking about it, "I have to."  
She frowned, "Kasumiouji taichou is really that important to you still?"

He didn't answer her, he just left the administrative office quickly.

**X-**

Toushirou was at Ichigo's lodge, hearing a muffled tone or two in which he didn't like all that much. Ichigo was his to be with, not hers—why was she even drunk and with him to begin with for that matter. Soi Fon was the type that would listen to orders and fond herself over Shihouin Yoruichi instead of others. Not knowing what to do, he stood there while listening to the woman's moans, causing him to cringe lightly.

"K-Kasumiouji," Toushirou called out, hoping to receive a well mannered reply, but there wasn't even a reply to begin with, and slid opened the door a little, "Kasu-" his eyes immediately looked away when he saw that Soi Fon was naked; he did _**not**_ need to see this, and so he closed his eyes shut, "sorry, I-I should leave."

"No, it is fine." Ichigo stated.

Toushirou opened an eye to look at the tall captain who was only topless, so Soi Fon wasn't given enough time to fully go after him. His eyes widened though when the orange-haired captain agreed to a fierce kiss, and it hurt him. He then saw his hands moving to hers and put them behind her back, then saw Ichigo look at him. The tall captain then glanced next to Toushirou, so the little captain looked and saw the haori on the hook, then looked to the tall one to see him nod. It wasn't time to judge him and so he grabbed the haori and looked at Ichigo who released Soi Fon.

"4. Crawling rope." Ichigo whispered, having Soi Fon's arms bound together, then looked into her eyes and whispered, "forgive me, Shaolin." He then knocked her out.

Soi Fon fell limp against his body, and so he picked her form up into his arms and carefully brought her over to his futon in the other room without a sound. Toushirou nervously followed with Ichigo's haori in his arms so it wouldn't drag on the floor and get dirty. Ichigo motioned for him to be quiet and then carefully took the haori from the small one's arms to place over her body before he stood up.

"Go," Ichigo scooted the small one out of the room. "Hinamori, Matsumoto."  
"Yes?" Their heads popped into the lodge; they had obviously been spying.  
"Get her cleaned up and dressed for me." He called out, and they listened.  
"Let's put her in a dress then!" Rangiku cheered, only to receive a scowl.  
"Put her clothes back on her, every… last… piece…" Ichigo stated and sat down.

"You're so mean," she pouted and the two lieutenants closed the sliding door to his room so that they could dress her. "No peaking from either of you!"  
"Just clean her up and clothe her!" Toushirou yelled in frustration.  
Ichigo looked at him, then chuckled, "first time seeing a woman's body?"  
He looked to the ground, blushing lightly, "not… exactly…"  
"Bathing with Hinamori when you two were young does not count."

Hearing this made him blush more, but remembered something which cleared that from his mind and looked at him, "you did chores for Granny when you went to visit Hinamori? She told me you would talk to them a lot, and play with the villagers."

"I do not know about playing with villagers, but I did talk to the elder." He replied.  
"Why didn't you tell Matsumoto why I really cried that night?" Toushirou whispered.  
The tall captain was silent in thought, but eventually spoke, "to protect you."  
His cheeks tinted lightly and looked away, "why would you do that for me?"

Just to see his reaction, he replied, "because you are far cuter than the others."

Toushirou's attention immediately went to Ichigo, his cheeks now deeply reddened, "d-don't say that!" He then stared at the ground to regain his stoic face, but heard him chuckle at him. _'He was poking fun at me, wasn't he?'_

"I apologize." Ichigo spoke. "It was a little interesting to see your reaction."  
He looked at him as if he was going to pout, but had to endure. "…"  
"Taichou," Momo slipped open the door, "she's dressed now."  
Rangiku popped her head out and saw Toushirou, "taichou, are you blushing?!"  
"Tch!" Toushirou stood up. "Why did I even come in here anyway?"  
"You were annoyed that Soi Fon taichou was about to have-"

"Matsumoto." Ichigo spoke sharply, causing the three to jump at the tone. "No."

Rangiku frowned softly, understanding why he wanted her to stop, "sorry."  
Toushirou glanced between the captain and his lieutenant, "…did I miss something?"  
"Nope," Momo smiled sheepishly, hoping to keep everything a little light.  
Ichigo stood up, obviously getting their attention, "that is quite enough."

They were all just listening to him, it was like the years had made him dominant.

"Hinamori, Matsumoto, should those reports be ready to pick up?" Ichigo asked.  
Momo nodded and looked to Rangiku, "let's go get the paperwork together!"  
Rangiku was already being tugged out of the room, "ah! Wait!" They stopped, and she looked to Toushirou, "don't molest Kasumiouji taichou!"  
"…" Toushirou stared at her in disbelief.  
"Come on!" Momo dragged her out.

Ichigo watched as the two left, and he came to the room, knocking before he was about to come in. Sliding the door open, he quietly entered the room and sat next to the futon where Soi Fon laid silently. Toushirou didn't want to intrude anymore than he already was, but he wasn't given an order to obey. Peeking into the room silently earned him a quiet gaze from the orange-haired captain that sat down.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked quietly, grabbing a cool wash cloth that was damped.  
This brought him out of his thoughts and he looked away, "you didn't… give me an-"  
"An order?" He questioned, wiping the woman's face. "Why would I bother trying?"  
"You told Hinamori and Matsumoto to gather the reports though." The captain stated.  
"Fool," his attention went up to the standing boy, "you are a taichou."

Soi Fon finally stirred awake and opened her eyes, "…w-where am I?"  
"So you forgot, have you?" Ichigo asked the female captain. "You managed to have yourself become drunk, and you came into my lodge to seduce me."  
"What?!" She hissed in defiance, sitting up angrily.  
The tall captain handed her some cold water, "drink, to stop the pain."  
Her eyes grew more fierce with determination, "I wasn't drunk, idiot."

"Yes, I suppose watching you undress yourself in front of me was just a figment of my imagination. Just as you were trying to undress me?" Ichigo asked; he was still topless. "Hinamori and Matsumoto fukutaichou came in to clean you up and clothed you as I and Hitsugaya taichou waited in the other room until notified."

"…" Soi Fon slightly glared at the smaller captain before looking away.  
"Hitsugaya Toushirou," Ichigo spoke, "will you excuse us for the moment?"  
"…" The small captain nodded quietly and left the room to give them privacy.

Toushirou sat on the floor in the other room and waited a little patiently for Ichigo to come in there, or tell him to come in; something. A loud crash though had him look up to see what was going on and saw Soi Fon standing there with a furious blush on her cheeks. The female captain just started to storm out of the room but Ichigo went right after her and placed her hands behind her to keep her there. What was going on, was Ichigo trying to hurt her, or worse… place her into submission for him?

"I said that we will escort you to your unit, you still have alcohol in your head," the tall male stated, "you cannot even threaten me correctly, let alone walk." As she tried to squirm away, he tightened his hold on her, "I do not want to harm you."

"Do you think I can be harmed by you?" Soi Fon scowled, trying to break free.

Toushirou watched the two captains in confusion, but saw how Ichigo wanted to falter then let her go as he spoke, "you are quite right, I should have no concern over you and the other taichou, should I?" When his attention came to him, Toushirou had only hoped he was invisible when he spoke, "you do not have to stay in here."

With that said by the irritated captain, he was the first to leave the room, and leave the two other captains in his lodge. Soi Fon just stood there and rubbed her arm as she went into thought of something, then cursed herself as she walked out and called out the tall captain's first name. Toushirou never recalled her saying someone's first name other than Shihouin Yoruichi's, but that was for a different reason, wasn't it? Talking was heard outside once Soi Fon came out to talk, yet the small one tried to ignore it because it seemed to be like a private one.

Soi Fon was apologizing to Ichigo, saying that she shouldn't be so stupid because she had too much sake with Yoruichi, and he said it wasn't her fault. The small captain heard this and stared to the ground to force himself to stop listening, was she still trying to seduce him? He couldn't believe he was going to get up and spy on them, only to see that the female captain had a hand on Ichigo's bare back, he listened.

"The soutaichou told you what to do," Soi Fon stated, "so do it."  
"Don't talk down to me like that when your drunk." Ichigo demanded.  
Toushirou paused, did that just sound like Ichigo? "…"  
"You'll get in trouble if you don't." The woman stated.

"From what I can tell, you trying to force yourself on me doesn't help the situation, and it doesn't matter if Yoruichi-san was the one who told you it would be a game." Ichigo shrugged her hand off his body. "I told him myself that all I need is for the two to be quiet, I don't need to place anymore trauma in the way."

"K-," Soi Fon was immediately interrupted from saying his name.  
"I'll have you escorted by my third seat." He stated. "You and I will not speak of it."  
As he began to walk to the lodge, she had to ask, "you make me wonder if the ryoka in you had ever died. You're still as stubborn for not accepting the help of others."

Ichigo ignored this and went into the room to see Toushirou sitting there like a little angel; only making it more obvious that he had heard them talk, "the same for you."

Toushirou looked up, watching him put his robes and haori on. "What do you mean?"  
There was a long pause between them, until he changed it, "go do your reports."  
"You just got through telling me that you can't tell me what to do." He scowled.  
The small captain received a viscous scowl in return, but nothing was said. "…"  
This _**did**_ startle the boy, but he too was now angry. "Fine, if to get away from you."

After the small captain left, Ichigo replied to him in a whisper, "I'm sorry, Toushirou."

**X-**

"Kasumiouji Ichigo." Came the voice of the stern old man.

Ichigo sat before him on the ground, staring at the ground in silence as the elder had scolded him with just that for twenty minutes. He knew he was in trouble, that the plan had not worked as they had hoped, but things were going too far to deal with when others were involved. It was hard for him to purposely hurt the small captain to the point where he would fully return to the unemotional young man he was. If it was possible, it was just as Kuchiki Byakuya had said to him so many years ago when he was spotted in Soul Society as a noble. That because it was his sins for the small captain to fall out of balance, and his sins alone must be able to fix it.

All of the other captains were there watching him be so agreeable to the elder, as he should be; submissive. Kenpachi and Byakuya were the only two that looked most irritated than the others, while Retsu and Soi Fon looked more guilty than anything. Shunsui and Jyuushirou were rather upset that they had to watch such a powerful man submit easily, it even made Sajin and Shusuke seem a little down. The only two that didn't seem to be phased by this were Mayuri and Satoshi, but it was expected.

But Toushirou was not there at this meeting, but he didn't even know about it.

"I understand that your feelings are still strong after these many years," Yamamoto started, sitting at his own desk, "but if there ever comes a time when you are going to be placed in a position to go against him if you are corrupted, then he will die."

"I know." Ichigo replied quietly for the first time in an hour.

This was why he had stayed with the Kasumiouji clan, to hide like a coward in order to protect Toushirou from the pain. But Byakuya sold him out to Yamamoto, and they had to pull a few strings with the other captains to have it done. Every one of the captains knew that there was a strong bond between the fifth and tenth division captain, but they were told to be silent. Every one of the captains knew that this man was acting as a real noble to keep Toushirou safe from being torn in his icy barrier.

And every one of the captains, knew, that this man was Kurosaki Ichigo.

"We can not have this pushed away for another time." Yamamoto stated, and the orange-haired captain knew that this was going to happen. "You will have Hitsugaya Toushirou release his zanpakuto against you, no matter the cost of your bond."

His mind roared with defiance, but his body stayed motionless, and his words left without being spoken. He was a captain now, not a wild shinigami like he once was, but what he would give just to break those chains. There was always a price on the things that you valued most, but there was a cost on the people you loved the most.

"Yes sir," Ichigo bowed his head to the old man.  
"You will make a fine sotaichou someday," the elder stated.  
He stood up and turned away, "…" he didn't want that title.

Momo saw him finally leaving the chambers and seemed so happy, that was until, he passed by her so emotionlessly that it almost scared her. She then looked at all of the captains who had walked out of the quarters, and they were either emotionless as well, or upset about the situation. Her mind started to race with a little bit of fear and hurried off to her captain that was about thirty feet in front of the others.

Quickly she came in front of him so that he would be forced to stop in his tracts, "Kasumiouji taichou, what happened?" Momo asked worriedly, hoping nothing bad—

"You can have the rest of the day off." Ichigo stated sternly. "It's going to rain."

Her expression became worried more than ever, and as soon as he stepped aside her, she placed her hands against his chest. He stopped and finally looked at her in a stoic way; this man was dead serious about something, and it scared her. The other captains stopped behind him in silence, and Momo looked at them as well, but none of them looked at her. It was starting to scare her into complete fear and terror, but two hands came to her wrists, and so she looked back at her captain.

"Take the day off, and don't leave your dorm." Ichigo demanded. "Now stand aside."  
"T-This is about Shiro-chan, isn't it?" She felt his grip tighten lightly on her wrists.  
"I'm sorry." With that, two men gently took her by the shoulders to put her aside.  
"Please taichou!" Momo cried out as Ichigo began to walk away, captains behind him.

****

X-

The sky darkened dramatically; on a spring evening, it was going to rain tonight.

Ichigo stayed in his room to concentrate on what he had to do in order to fight him, to fight the small captain that he had bonded with long ago. He would not go easy on him, he would not accept anything until Hyorinmaru was brought out against him. His orders were simple, but the conflicting emotions with it had to be removed, cast aside as if nothing had ever happened. The fifth division captain was not going to have mercy on the small captain, he just wished that it didn't have to be so soon.

"Zangetsu," he held the zanpakuto in his hand before placing it on his back, "there's no holding back between Toushirou and Hyorinmaru, not tonight." Being as ready as ever, he left the room, only to see Shunsui leaning against the rail. "What?"

"You might break him just by trying, you know," he replied, "he might die."  
"I have no intentions to kill him. But if I have to drive him to the point of it…"  
"We understand that you two have a bond," Shunsui frowned.

"A bond that has no choice but to shatter on his part."

He walked off towards the tenth unit; his mind completely focused on what would be done soon as thunder roared against the world. The tenth unit was completely clear from officers and everyone else, all but the captains that were going to watch. Even Yamamoto was going to watch the match as well, but that was the limit to who will watch. The lieutenants were not allowed to watch, not even Momo or Rangiku, they had to wait in fear for their captains return. Ichigo was finally at the administrative office and came in after allowed to enter, and he saw Toushirou and Rangiku both.

Ichigo spoke to the lieutenant first, "Yamamoto sotaichou says to have the day off."  
"Why?" She saw that look of plain seriousness on his face, "no… please don't."  
"It is out of my hands, sorry," the captain stated, "now please go to your dorm."  
Her determination would be no match, so she bowed, "thank you," and left.  
"What do you want?" Toushirou scowled, still a little upset with him from earlier.  
"Grab your zanpakuto, there's a place I want to show you." Ichigo turned to walk off.

He blinked in confusion a little and then did as told, and followed him, "where?"

There was no answer for the small captain, and this had the white-haired boy worry about what was wrong. If something happened to Ichigo, then it was something that must've been bad if he was only going to be silent. Something wet tapped his nose, and he looked up to see that spring decided to rain on them tonight. Before the little captain knew it, his body collided into the back of Ichigo's who had stopped in tracks.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Toushirou explained, but received no answer. "Did something happen when sotaichou wanted to speak to you?" He asked. "Matsumoto told me that he asked for you to come in to talk. Did he—" he was interrupted.

"I'm sorry too." Ichigo stated, turning to him, "but I can't continue doing this."  
He saw his hand touch the hilt of his zanpakuto, "w-what are you doing?"  
"You are going to release Hyorinmaru against me tonight, no matter what."  
"I don't… I don't understand," the small one spoke, "I can't fight against you."  
"You'll have to, or else I'll kill you in front of them." Ichigo stated.

Toushirou turned around, seeing all the other captains there in a line, watching the two, and he felt a little embarrassed for not recognizing them earlier. He then turned to Ichigo with worry, telling himself in his mind how that this wasn't fair to him. The small captain couldn't be weak in front of the captains, he couldn't show his softness.

The sprinkling turned into rain, hard, drizzling rain.

"You will call Hyorinmaru out against me, or so help me Toushirou!" Ichigo yelled.

His eyes widened at his name being called out, then he noticed his speech pattern since they left the office. He took an uncertain step away from the tall orange-haired captain, this really couldn't be possible. The small captain then jumped out of the way once the zanpakuto was about to cut him open. Toushirou still looked at this man in disbelief, wondering if it was truly possible that… he remembered.

"Because I can tame you, I can tame Hyorinmaru, don't allow it." Ichigo demanded. "I'll give you this one chance only to face your fear of upsetting me." He saw the boy glance at the other captains. "They're not here Toushirou!" The boy looked at him immediately. "It's just you and me, Zangetsu and Hyorinmaru."

"I won't fight you! You're a taichou and you're…" Toushirou was too scared to say it.  
"That night that you're thinking of, doesn't exist." He stated.  
The small captain looked at him in disbelief. "You can't mean that."  
"I only agreed to our love because you looked so helpless and desperate." Ichigo said in a low manner. "You are that same confused child that left to Soul Society in fear."

"How can you remember this?!" Toushirou yelled. "You've been playing with us?!"

"_**Toushirou**_!!!" Ichigo yelled angrily, raising his zanpakuto. "You will die if you don't do as I just said!" Zangetsu roared with the resolve to kill the boy, and attacked.  
He hurriedly used a flash step, "I'm not going to, I can't! Just stop it!"  
"Stop being a coward, you're a taichou!" He swung another attack at him.  
"I WON'T FIGHT YOU ICHIGO!!!" Toushirou cried out.

Ichigo growled and called out, "_**shiroi getsuga**_!"

_The world then flashed into an icy world, it was Toushirou's where Hyorinmaru laid in dormant, and so he looked to the dragon. Zangetsu had a blade at the mighty iced dragon, ready to destroy the creature, so he tried to run at them. His hand was then snatched and he was thrown to the ground, causing Hyorinmaru to roar angrily._

_  
"Quiet!" Ichigo demanded, silencing the beast, and he looked at Toushirou. "Get up."  
The small captain sat up and kept his eyes on the ground, "why are you doing this?"  
"Because there might come a day where I'll fight against you." He stated.  
"Why are you trying to humiliate me?!" Toushirou yelled in confusion._

_  
"I can't protect you if you can't protect yourself!" Ichigo yelled. "Look at me!"_

_  
_Toushirou saw that he was sitting on the ground, looking at the man standing in front of him with a zanpakuto at his face. If he was going to die right here by the hands and zanpakuto of Kurosaki Ichigo, then that would be fine. Hyorinmaru then roared at him, wanting him to fight, causing him to remember that this couldn't be him, he would never say such cruel things. This angered the small one as Ichigo rose the blade in the air, no, this wasn't Kurosaki Ichigo, this was Kasumiouji Ichigo…

"Sit upon frozen heavens," Toushirou pulled out his zanpakuto, "Hyorinmaru!"

He immediately stabbed Ichigo in the chest as Hyorinmaru froze Ichigo over at the same time, glaring at the impostor. Ichigo spat out blood and his eyes began to haze over slowly, but smiled when seeing the boy glare. The small captain was waiting for another attack from him, but the tall captain dropped the zanpakuto.

"Good—" he coughed some more blood, "you… caught me off guard… I'm… proud."

Hearing this cause him to dread in fear, the ice that had froze around the orange-haired captain had disappeared, and watched him fall limp to the ground. Toushirou pulled out the zanpakuto and placed in into the scabbard before shaking the fallen shinigami. This wasn't funny, Ichigo's eyes were closed and he looked as if he was only asleep; no, he couldn't be dead—it wasn't possible.

"Someone take Kurosaki Ichigo to the fourth division, the mission is completed." Yamamoto stated sternly, already leaving the scene now to go to sleep.

_'Kurosaki?'_ Toushirou heard him, and looked to the fallen man, _'so this… this was…'_

"A shame it ended like that," Shunsui spoke, walking away. "He sacrificed himself."  
Jyuushirou also began to walk away, "Ichigo-kun was only following orders."  
"It's his own fault for using a technique that drains him." Mayuri snorted and left.  
"Tch, so in the end he valued someone else's life instead his own?" Kenpachi asked.  
"That is Kurosaki for you." Byakuya stated as they both left.

Soi Fon and Retsu came forth to Ichigo and Toushirou, watching the small captain trying to wake up the fallen captain. He continued to call out his name but it wasn't helping him at all, so he was beginning to cry in the rain. Why was it he who had struck him, why was it him to begin with, …why was it by his own hands? Toushirou then leaned over to cry against the back of Ichigo's bloody haori, telling him how much he hated him for not telling him the truth.

"I need to have him carried to the fourth division unit into a healing room." Retsu spoke softly. "Soi Fon will take him, but you have to let him go so that she can carry him there." She frowned, "the stab was far too close to his heart to be safe."

Toushirou lifted himself off and he looked at them, "why did no one tell me?"  
Retsu and Soi Fon exchanged glanced, and the latter stated, "he might die anyway."  
"Why didn't anyone tell me?!" The small captain yelled. Retsu nodded to Soi Fon.

"He wanted to protect you."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Winters Warm Breath

- Previously -

"_I can't protect you if you can't protect yourself!" Ichigo yelled. "Look at me!"_

_  
_Toushirou saw that he was sitting on the ground, looking at the man standing in front of him with a zanpakuto at his face. If he was going to die right here by the hands and zanpakuto of Kurosaki Ichigo, then that would be find. Hyorinmaru then roared at him, wanting him to fight, causing him to remember that this couldn't be him, he would never say such cruel things. This angered the small one as Ichigo rose the blade in the air, no, this wasn't Kurosaki Ichigo, this was Kasumiouji Ichigo…

"Sit upon frozen heavens," Toushirou pulled out his zanpakuto, "Hyorinmaru!"

He immediately stabbed Ichigo in the chest as Hyorinmaru froze Ichigo over at the same time, glaring at the impostor. Ichigo spat out blood and his eyes began to haze over slowly, but smiled when seeing the boy glare. The small captain was waiting for another attack from him, but the tall captain dropped the zanpakuto.

"Good-" he coughed some more blood, "you… caught me off guard… I'm… proud."

Hearing this cause him to dread in fear, the ice that had froze around the orange-haired captain had disappeared, and watched him fall limp to the ground. Toushirou pulled out the zanpakuto and placed in into the scabbard before shaking the fallen shinigami. This wasn't funny, Ichigo's eyes were closed and he looked as if he was only asleep; no, he couldn't be dead—it wasn't possible.

"Someone take Kurosaki Ichigo to the fourth division, the mission is completed." Yamamoto stated sternly, already leaving the scene now to go to sleep.

_'Kurosaki?'_ Toushirou heard him, and looked to the fallen man, _'so this… this was…'_

"A shame it ended like that," Shunsui spoke, walking away. "He sacrificed himself."  
Jyuushirou also began to walk away, "Ichigo-kun was only following orders."  
"It's his own fault for using a technique that drains him." Mayuri snorted and left.  
"Tch, so in the end he valued someone else's life instead his own?" Kenpachi asked.  
"That is Kurosaki for you." Byakuya stated as they both left.

Soi Fon and Retsu came forth to Ichigo and Toushirou, watching the small captain trying to wake up the fallen captain. He continued to call out his name but it wasn't helping him at all, so he was beginning to cry in the rain. Why was it he who had struck him, why was it him to begin with, …why was it by his own hands? Toushirou then leaned over to cry against the back of Ichigo's bloody haori, telling him how much he hated him for not telling him the truth.

"I need to have him carried to the fourth division unit into a healing room." Retsu spoke softly. "Soi Fon will take him, but you have to let him go so that she can carry him there." She frowned, "the stab was far too close to his heart to be safe."

Toushirou lifted himself off and he looked at them, "why did no one tell me?"  
Retsu and Soi Fon exchanged glanced, and the latter stated, "he might die anyway."  
"Why didn't anyone tell me?!" The small captain yelled. Retsu nodded to Soi Fon.

"He wanted to protect you."

**- Now -**

Confused and upset was what he was, the small captain was more visible in his emotions now more than he ever had. The head captain would not see him or speak to him, fourth division captain told him that he had to let go of orange-haired one. It was not that simple though, he could not just let this man sacrifice himself, just to have the small captain return to full strength. Though he knew it was selfish, he was not going to leave the fallen captain's side of the bed until he saw him wake up.

It's been a week though.

Ichigo's breathing was too slow for the small ones comfort; the wound that was given to him was fatal so to speak. If the blade was only a little more to his right, he would have stabbed his heart, and it would have been hell. Many of the captains came to see how the captain was doing, even Kenpachi and Byakuya though just once. It was during that time though that Toushirou had to back away and practically sit in a little corner. Many of the lieutenants had even come in to see the condition of the fifth division captain, though only a handful came more frequently. Then there was the endless amount of office ranked shinigami, and the lower ranks of the unit came too.

'_Wake up,'_ Toushirou inwardly spoke to Ichigo, grasping his knees, _'why won't you?'_

Everyone knew that the tall fallen captain was strong, but the cut pierced through his body, and out the other side. If he could recover from his moment near death, the small captain didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to do if Ichigo died either.

He looked to Zangetsu that was at his side.

Shiroi getsuga…

A technique that could allow the wielder to enter the inner world of the opponent to destroy them from the inside out. Why did he learn such a ruthless ability with his zanpakuto though, was it just to let him slip into Toushirou's subconscious? No, never mind that, it didn't matter to the small one—nothing will matter, if he doesn't wake up soon. His hands reached out to hold one of his, asking in his mind again for him to wake up, but it didn't work, again.

Nothing was working. Nothing will work. Nothing. Just nothing.

His eyes were so heavy though that he could hardly stay awake, he could hardly see anything but the fallen one's hand that he held. Toushirou rested his head on that hand, telling himself to try to stay awake a little longer, just a little longer. He had to keep an eye on the orange-haired captain no matter what the cost of the small one's health it would take. The small one was responsible for this no matter how much he was confused and upset, and the opinion of the others didn't phase him.

His eyes closed for a second, a minute, an hour… he fell asleep.

Hours among hours later, he started to wake up tiredly to find out that he was laying his head on Ichigo's stomach, so he sat up. Of course he looked at his face to see that his eyes were glued to the ceiling, so he sighed exhaustedly. Wait a moment… his eyes, …were open; Toushirou turned to look at him again, and indeed they were. It meant that Ichigo was finally awake and this managed to excite him inside, he was so happy that the fallen captain had awoken from his long slumber—

"Why are you here?" Ichigo asked.

What kind of question was that! "I was worried I killed you."

"You insult me by weeping." His eyes closed.

"What do you mean?" He shook him. "Open your eyes."

"I'm tired." The fallen captain stated.

Toushirou frowned and shook him just a little more, "you remember everything?"

"Fool," he inhaled a long ragged breath and sighed before replying, "I never died."

"Then, you lied to me… you said you didn't remember." The small one saddened.

"I don't remember you," his eyes open slowly, "because I never forgot you."

Now the white-haired captain understood, but was still sad, "how is this possible."

"If I tell you, then you will have to do something for me." Ichigo announced.

He nodded in agreement, "I'll do anything, just… I need to know."

Ichigo nodded and replied that day long ago. "After we escaped that world, I had attacked Aizen, only to be stabbed in the torso and fell to the grounds, but I was still awake long enough to see you go insane with rage." He sighed, "I couldn't move all that much, but I had enough energy to disappear for a while. Then after a month, I noticed how Soul Society was looking for me." There was a pause. "I grabbed a low rank shinigami and asked him what was going on, and I find out that everyone had thought I was dead… and so I could only imagine how much pain you were in."

"…" Toushirou remembered that pain.

"Returning to school after everyone thought I was dead sounded fun, but I could imagine how upset they would be, how you would be…" Ichigo closed his eyes. "I had to find a way, and so I went to Soul Society and went to the Kasumiouji clan, and it was their idea to make me a noble. The council saw how protective I was of Lurichiyo and the clan, so they decided I was great enough to be the leader till she was ready." He thought about it just a little more, "Byakuya found out, and told sotaichou."

"He begged you to become a captain until you accepted…" Toushirou whispered.

He nodded, "I declined, telling him that it would hurt you if I reappeared like nothing happened, and so he said to keep it between the other taichou." Ichigo then stated. "Everyday he asked, I was training to learn this new ability that enters the mind forcefully, but it drains me." The fallen captain opened his eyes, "Lurichiyo saw that I was repressing myself, and she knew I was becoming torn between two worlds, hers and yours, so she told me to become a taichou for her, so I did." His eyes tried to stay open a little more, "the other captains agreed to call me by my noble name that was given to me, and so I pushed you to see if you could use Hyorinmaru on me."

"That was staged?" Toushirou asked in disbelief.

"Because you couldn't use it against me, this worried the captains; fearing that I can be turned against them, and you would be defenseless against me. So sotaichou had demanded afterwards that I would get you to hate me, to get you to use Hyorinmaru against me with all you have." Ichigo's eyes finally fell again. "He grew tired of me trying to do it alone, so he had me bond closely with Soi Fon, I hated it, but accepted it after there was no other way. But that look of upset fear in your eyes made me so furious that I couldn't go with the plan, so I had to end it there." His mind was slowly getting heavy. "Our argument was more real than anything, and I didn't expect her to actually cling to me as an attachment, so I had to end it there immediately. So I had to talk to sotaichou, and he made it certain, that no matter what would happen to the bond we had, I would have you use Hyorinmaru against me." He sighed in a quiet manner, "I wasn't going to kill you at that moment, but it was enough…"

"We had…" Toushirou spoke his words, "what about now then?"

"Look at you, the fact that you're by my side means that I am still your attachment in the closest of ways." Ichigo stated. "If I were to die with you here watching me, it would insult me to know that I had you use Hyorinmaru against me and regret it."

That wasn't fair though so he objected. "But I—!"

"Toushirou!" Ichigo yelled, cringing in pain afterwards.

"I-Ichigo," he wanted to aid him, but didn't know how.

"You don't get it." The fallen captain growled lowly.

"I don't care, if I think that you're somebody else, then I can attack you." Toushirou stated sternly, grasping his hand a little tightly and buried his face into the tall one's stomach to muffle his voice. "You can't have me fall for you and just die, and then just reappear twenty years later like nothing happened! You've toyed with my mind!"

Ichigo retrieved his hand away from the boy's grasp, and rustled his white hair softly without a chuckle, and whispered, "you're such a spoiled child, Toushirou."

"You always spoiled me since…" since so long ago when he was wounded.

"I reached out to you one night," Ichigo stated, "I wondered if you could handle it."

He turned his head to look at the orange-haired captain, "handle what?"

"I was training early morning, and you came in. I decided that I should hint to you that I hadn't changed, but you cried so badly." Ichigo remembered it like yesterday, "you couldn't handle the memory, so I had to keep it away from you a little longer."

"You bastard." Toushirou buried into Ichigo's stomach. "Stop being selfless."

"I was being selfish." He corrected. "I did everything to protect you from knowing the truth that I had you believe that I didn't know the past."

"That isn't selfish! You were trying to protect me!" The small one yelled.

"For a boy genius, you're slow." Ichigo stated. "It's because I decided it on my own."

"I don't care—if it was to protect me, then I don't care if it was selfish."

"What happened to you," asked the fallen captain, "you used to be so cold and such a pain in the ass. Now look at you," he caressed those white strands, "you're such a child, you make it to where I can pass as your older brother or father even."

"Brothers and fathers don't do what we did." Toushirou retorted.

"That's true, isn't it…?" his reply was soft, eyes closed lightly.

He looked at him, staring at him quietly, "I don't know what to do."

"It's like I told you Toushirou," the fallen one stated. "Let go of me."

Hands grasped onto the others' robes, "why should I let you suffer the pain."

"Because I had you suffer a lost that didn't exist."

"That is far enough," an older voice called out.

Ichigo opened his eyes, "Yamamoto sotaichou."

Toushirou didn't look at him, nor speak to him, "…"

"Your bond is strong, if not too strong." Yamamoto stated.

Painfully, the orange-haired captain sat up, "meaning?"

"Don't get up, you'll worsen the wound." The small one stated.

It went ignored though.

"Meaning?" Ichigo repeated himself more sternly.

Yamamoto shook his head at the misjudged situation, "so long as he may use his zanpakuto against you, then there is no need for a meaning."

"I'm not sure I understand." The wounded one spoke cautiously.

"It is obvious that you were to live, and that Hitsugaya Toushirou would stand by you the entire time loyally no matter what." Yamamoto stated. "If harm were to come to him, it was equally obvious that you would have awakened to rid the problem that would disrupt this." He watched as the orange-haired captain tensed lightly, thinking that it was a threat. "Neither of you will tend to letting this bond leave you, and so I had decided that, so long as you both are willing to fight one another, I will ignore."

Ichigo looked to Toushirou, "can you do that though?"

"All I have to do is pretend your Aizen and I'll defeat you." Toushirou glared.

His eyebrow raised with interest, "maybe you aren't so childish after all."

He punched his shoulder as a reflex, causing the already wounded captain to cringe in pain, "I-I'm sorry, I completely forgot!"

"You brat, you did it on purpose!" Growled the other captain.

"No I didn't you bastard! But now I just might!"

"Then it is settled." Yamamoto stated, and looked to Ichigo, "when will you recover?"

Ichigo knew what he meant, so he replied, "I need three more resting days."

He nodded, "very well, I expect to see you then, alone." He hinted, and left.

"Don't tell me he likes you too…" Toushirou was smacked on the head, "ow!"

"I've been learning all I can in case I'm sotaichou someday." Ichigo stated.

He rubbed his head, "bastard."

"Did you notice?" Ichigo asked.

"Notice that you hit me? Yeah."

"You expressed yourself in front of another, instead of just me." The tall captain had once again caressed the small one's head, "I'm proud that your expressing yourself, not just to me, but to the others around us as well." He stood up and his stomach growled, "I guess I should eat, huh?" Then he looked around. "Wait, where am I?"

Toushirou finally smiled, thinking…

'_This is Kurosaki Ichigo.'_

**X-**

Toushirou made sure that Ichigo had a good dinner before helping him all the way to the lodge in the fifth division unit. He didn't plan on leaving him anytime soon seeing how he placed the wounded captain into futon and sat at his side. His eyes watched over the exhausted captain closely, making sure he breathed evenly and was in no severe pain. The small one noticed that this was just like long ago, how when he was wound and Ichigo was the one who had watched over him. A thought came into his mind, thinking about how he was so conflicted at one time, and then Ichigo accepted his feelings so easily and gave him everything he wanted.

Did he ever do that in return?

"What's wrong." Ichigo asked out with his eyes closed, startling the small one.

He sighed before speaking, "I was thinking about before, I never gave you anything."

Before the small one could blink, Ichigo had him laying on the futon beneath him as he was crouched over him. "Don't think that." Ichigo demanded sternly, looking into the surprised turquoise eyes. "You gave me your loyalty and faith, and you always kept it, even after I was dead, you wanted to refuse that I was gone."

Toushirou blushed softly and looked away, "I never gave you anything physical."

He looked at him, knowing what he meant, "you bit me a while back-"

"You told me to quiet down!" The small one fumed, only to receive chuckles.

"It doesn't matter," his lips pressed against his forehead, "you're very demanding."

This made him blush even more, "no I'm not, I didn't _demand_ anything."

"You didn't, huh?" Ichigo brought his lips to his ear. "You always wanted something."

He knew this even though he wouldn't admit it.

His entire face turned into a deep shade of red when one of Ichigo's legs went gently between his own. He hated it when Ichigo would do this to him, it made him even more aroused than he already was. Toushirou looked up at him, hoping that they wouldn't go so far as to do their mischief in the room. The small one heard him snort before he stood up on his knees and laid down on the futon next to him. An upsetting feeling then entered him, wondering if he just disagreed to being with the tall one.

"It's just… you're wounded." Toushirou unwillingly lied.

"I know." He replied, knowing that he was lying, but accepted it.

The small one saw that he knew though, "I apologize…"

"Don't use the taichou crap on me Toushirou, you know better."

His body sat up, "I just don't want the others to think that-"

"No, you're absolutely right Toushirou," Ichigo stated as if he didn't care about it, practically stabbing the small one in the heart, "after all, I have a girl at home that wants me to be her husband as soon as she's old enough." He looked at him, "so I should just make it easier, right? Just have everyone come crawling-"

"Stop it," Toushirou whispered before turning to him, "please just stop it."

He softened to him and sat up against the wall that led to the other room, "come."

There was no hesitation for the small captain, and he sat in his lap, "I'm sorry."

"Shut up and relax," his hands moved against his body to feel him shiver. "You—"

"I know," already his hands were grasping his legs, "I haven't done this in a while."

"Oh, and I have?" Ichigo removed the small one's upper clothing easily.

It wasn't long before Ichigo had the small captains clothing away and teased his body while having him sit in his lap. The pleasure seemed to be too much for the little one after so many years that he was already breathing raggedly. Still, Ichigo was going to take his time until Toushirou changed his mind, until he decided to ask for him. Tables turned on him however—the little one asked if he could do things for him despite how shy he was about touching the other. His time for pleasing lasted only three minutes because he was too nervous, and he asked to be taken by him.

"Do you want it as rough as last time?" Ichigo questioned.

He looked away, "no… I want you to go, …softer… this time…"

"You're so sensitive." His fingers were inserted. "Just don't scream."

"Shut up Ichigo," Toushirou hissed at the contact.

"Oh?" The wounded captain smirked. "You didn't stutter."

**X-**

The doors were knocked on from outside, but with no answer, they crept into the room and closed the door behind them. They quietly tiptoed to the captain's room, sliding open the door to take a little peak to see the two. Both of the captains were in the same bed; the small one laying on the bigger one's chest beneath the covers. It looked rather cute seeing two captains together, naked under some covers, it would be worth so much in the shinigami women's association. One of the intruders raised a camera and slowly came over to take a good picture of the surprisingly cute couple.

"I'll make your death quick and painless Rangiku-san." Ichigo stated sternly with his eyes closed. "I'm surprised you're sneaking in here too Hinamori."

"I-I-," Momo was sputtering with nervousness.

"Shh, go wait in the other room, I'll be out in a minute."

"O-Oh," she scurried out. "O-Okay."

"You too Rangiku-san." Ichigo growled.

"Aww, okay." Rangiku scurried out of the room.

After the door was slid closed, he reluctant shifted off the futon away from the small sleeper and got dressed in a white robe. He did the same for Toushirou knowing that he might worry a bit when he wakes up, and forgets he's naked. Once that was all finished up, he came out of the room tiredly and looked at the two girls waiting.

"If I was how I used to be as I was younger, I might've accidentally killed you two."

"You look a little stiff taichou," Momo watched him stretch a bit.

He looked at her tiredly, "he rolls in his sleep sometimes."

"Can't we just take a little peak?" Rangiku frowned innocently.

"Why?" Ichigo covered his mouth out of habit to yawn.

"I never seen taichou sleep so peacefully." She stated.

"He'll be waking up soon anyway," his attention went to the door.

Forty seconds later the door slid open and Toushirou was rubbing his eyes while he grumbled softly, "you're supposed to be bedridden for three more days you bastard." His attention went to the girls and glared, "what are you two doing in here?"

"They were trying to spy on us and take pictures," Ichigo stated, "go back to bed."

He only nodded his head slowly and began to slide the door closed but asked, "you?"

"I'll talk to them a little more, go ahead, I'll be in there soon." The tall one assured.

His head nodded once more, "okay," he then closed the door to the room.

The captain scratched the back of his head tiredly, "so what do you two really want?"

Rangiku decided to be honest. "I was worried about taichou, so I went to the fourth division but you two weren't there." She pointed to Momo, "then she said that you were released and in your lodge with taichou, so we wanted to investigate. We were hoping to find out what sotaichou had decided, we wanted to know what happened."

"He used Hyorinmaru on me, nearly killing me if it was a little more to his right side of my chest, he would've pierced my heart." Ichigo then added. "But Toushirou isn't holding a grudge against me for what all had happened, sotaichou will allow it, so long as we will be willing to fight one another if we have to."

Momo and Rangiku looked at each other, and the first spoke, "do you think…"

"Do you think you'll have to fight each other?" Rangiku said for her.

Ichigo stared at the ground, "yes, I believe that, in time, we will."

"What if you have to kill each other?" Momo frowned softly.

"Then I don't mind dying by his hands." He replied.

Rangiku looked surprised, "you can't mean that."

"I'm still alive, I'm still apart of the human world." Ichigo paused quietly. "So maybe I'll be lucky and come back somehow, but, I doubt it will be with memories." He stood up and cracked his back, "if that's all you wanted to know, go to sleep."

"Can we sleep in here?" Rangiku tried to be sly.

"No, both of you go to the tenth division." The captain stated.

"Why?" Momo asked curiously, wondering why she had to do such.

"With two taichou here and none in the tenth division?" His eyes rolled.

"So, because Shiro-chan knows you're you, you won't put on the noble act?"

"Not in private at least." Ichigo scratched his head. "I have to for others though."

Momo smiled after giggling at his attitude. "Taichou doesn't like being a noble."

"Everything becomes a habit." He retorted as he showed the two the way out. "Go on and go to sleep, it isn't all that grand to rile up a tired dragon I'll have you know." Ichigo sighed when the two took their time leaving, but soon they did. "Women."

When he went into the other room, he saw Toushirou staring at the covers and asked out, "do you really think that we'll have to fight each other?"

Ichigo frowned when seeing him confused and upset all over again, "time will tell."

His attention went to him, like he was about to cry, "I almost killed you last time!"

"You're such a crybaby now." He closed the door and laid next to the sitting captain.

"I refuse to fight you again if I can avoid it." Toushirou stated sternly, voice breaking.

"Don't say that," the captain sighed, "you'll get us into trouble, and be separated."

"How can you not be upset about that?" He shook him. "How can you be so calm?"

"I was separated from you with full knowledge of where you were, and what you were doing… it hurt knowing that I couldn't come to comfort you." Ichigo stated. "If you get carried away and say things like that, then we'll be separated again, and this time you'll know that I'm alive, but you can't look for me." He watched the little one lay down and cling to him, so he sighed and wrapped an arm around him, "sleep."

He nodded slowly, "next time someone's here, wake me."

"Why?" Ichigo replied. "I expected your butt to be sore."

His cheeks reddened, "don't say it like that you pervert."

"I swear, I had no idea you could be this embarrassed…"

"I'm not embarrassed!" Toushirou roared in his chest.

"Oh yeah? Then why are your cheeks red? You crying?"

"Just shut up…" he demanded, nuzzling into him.

"Go to sleep Toushirou." Ichigo said softly.

That's all he had to say to the small captain, and he fell fast asleep in his arm that he had missed for quite some time. Causing the tall captain to frown softly, _'I don't know when we'll fight each other, but I know we will someday, I'm sorry.'_

**X-**

Toushirou woke up to the loss of warmth that he had throughout the night, so he leaned up against his elbows and looked around. "Kurosaki?" He frowned in a little annoyance before getting up and peeking into the other room. "Kurosaki?" The captain was all alone in the lodge and saw that it was morning, "that jerk…"

It was obvious that the orange-haired man had left him in order to do his duties as a captain, so he should probably do the same. When he bent down to grab his robe, he winced and the pain that was summoned from behind, having him cringe. Why did it hurt hours after their so-called 'play time,' or at least more than it was earlier?

"He could've waken me up." He dressed and took his zanpakuto before heading out to find him. The orange-haired captain at _**least**_ deserved a punch in the face.

"Ah! Hitsugaya-kun!" Momo called out and scurried to him.

"Where is Kurosaki?" Toushirou demanded immediately.

She frowned. "He wanted you to rest today, he said you were sore."

He refused to blush though, "where is Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Not here." A colder voice called out, and they turned to look.

"Kuchiki?" Toushirou was surprised at him. "But he's bedridden—"

"An issue in the noble family occurred though it is none of your concern." Byakuya stated and continued walking past them. "You do best to stay out of it."

"Why didn't he tell me?" He asked himself quietly.

"Ah… well… several members came to see him." Momo panicked.

"Tch. Tell Matsumoto to watch my division." The captain demanded.

"Where are you going?!" She asked worriedly. "You'll get him in trouble."

Toushirou paused, remembering last night—how Ichigo spoke to him, "…"

This really wasn't fair, how can he stay with Ichigo if he's always going to that stupid little noble girl? Then again, Byakuya said that some sort of _issue_ occurred, so maybe Ichigo wasn't going to the girl; Momo even said some council members or whatever came to get him. That was a little irritating too—Ichigo was a captain and shouldn't really be placed into issues like this, but then he remembered that he wasn't a noble.

He was just Kurosaki Ichigo.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Winters Warm Breath**

**- Previously -**

* * *

That's all he had to say to the small captain, and he fell fast asleep in his arm that he had missed for quite some time. Causing the tall captain to frown softly, _'I don't know when we'll fight each other, but I know we will someday, I'm sorry.'_

**

* * *

**

Toushirou woke up to the loss of warmth that he had throughout the night, so he leaned up against his elbows and looked around. "Kurosaki?" He frowned in a little annoyance before getting up and peeking into the other room. "Kurosaki?" The captain was all alone in the lodge and saw that it was morning, "that jerk…"

It was obvious that the orange-haired man had left him in order to do his duties as a captain, so he should probably do the same. When he bent down to grab his robe, he winced and the pain that was summoned from behind, having him cringe. Why did it hurt hours after their so-called 'play time,' or at least more than it was earlier?

"He could've waken me up." He dressed and took his zanpakuto before heading out to find him. The orange-haired captain at _**least**_ deserved a punch in the face.

"Ah! Hitsugaya-kun!" Momo called out and scurried to him.  
"Where is Kurosaki?" Toushirou demanded immediately.  
She frowned. "He wanted you to rest today, he said you were sore."  
He refused to blush though, "where is Kurosaki Ichigo?"  
"Not here." A colder voice called out, and they turned to look.  
"Kuchiki?" Toushirou was surprised at him. "But he's bedridden—"

"An issue in the noble family occurred, though, it is none of your concern." Byakuya stated and continued walking past them. "You do best to stay out of it."

"Why didn't he tell me?" He asked himself quietly.  
"Ah… well… several members came to see him." Momo panicked.  
"Tch. Tell Matsumoto to watch my division." The captain demanded.  
"Where are you going?!" She asked worriedly. "You'll get him in trouble."

Toushirou paused, remembering last night—how Ichigo spoke to him, "…"

This really wasn't fair, how can he stay with Ichigo if he's always going to that stupid little noble girl? Then again, Byakuya said that some sort of _issue_ occurred, so maybe Ichigo wasn't going to the girl; Momo even said some council members or whatever came to get him. That was a little irritating too—Ichigo was a captain and shouldn't really be placed into issues like this, but then he remembered that he wasn't a noble.

He was just Kurosaki Ichigo.

**- Now -**

* * *

Toushirou waited for eight hours in the fifth division, waiting for the orange-haired captain to appear, and it was already coming to midday. He was approached by a couple of the older captains who told him to not worry about the taller captain of his interest. His body was rather sore, so he went to the lodge and leaned against the railing as he kept watch and grew angrier. Then sunset began to grace his features and he saw the captain walking down below without passing him a glance.

"Kurosaki!" He called out, but he seemed to have went unheard, "Kurosaki damn it!"

Ichigo must have heard him but just didn't care that he was being called out to so the small captain jumped down in front of. Angry turquoise eyes stared upwards at unreadable brown ones, and he didn't expect to see this. Toushirou expected either sadness or anger, _something—anything_, but nothing was showed to him. This had only angered the little one in more and he brought his hands up and shoved at him.

"Don't ignore me!" Toushirou demanded.

Ichigo closed his eyes and demanded sternly—far more darkly that Kuchiki Byakuya no less, "I will kill you if you lay even so much as a breath on this taichou."

'_What?'_ The little one then felt some other reiatsu.  
"Yes sir." Four men replied, pulling back from him.  
Ichigo opened his eyes, "did they not tell you to rest?"  
"We need to talk." Toushirou stated sternly. "Now."  
"No." He replied. "Forgive me, but I am busy."

Toushirou was about to retort but he remembered how he was told that the day had involved nothing but the duties of the clan that he lived under. So it was only fair that he would let the fifth division captain take a bit of a break to get it out of his system, but something wasn't right. If he was going to go and relax after all of this, then why wasn't he heading over to his lodge—where else would he possibly go to? It was taking him a while to contemplate what to do or say, but Kuchiki Byakuya took the spotlight as it drew darker in the night, and he just watched.

"It seems that you have not become a stray." Byakuya practically sneered.

The orange-haired captain retorted with equal passion, "for now I will still lead the Kasumiouji-clan. Though it seems that Shu also agrees that I keep this position, he worries on the behalf of Lurichiyo." Ichigo spoke from noble to noble. "Things are to be crashing soon if council cannot find logic in this. It appears to be in the hands of Lurichiyo to decide the future of the clan which is understandable."

"You would have no grudge against them if against you?" Byakuya asked amusedly.  
He began to walk off, "I would not." For a moment he stopped, "Hitsugaya taichou."  
"Y-Yes?" Toushirou accidentally stuttered—surprised he was recognized finally.  
"Perhaps you should rest." Ichigo stated and began to walk away again.  
"I'm not some little-" he cringed when he was suddenly interrupted.  
"Go… rest…" were the strict words he heard from the orange-haired captain.

Byakuya saw the real hidden words beneath it and spoke out, "you should not let an attachment take a toll on you, even now, we all are aware of this." He watched as the fifth division captain stopped in place. "This boy is nothing more than a taichou, and it is the same for you and I. Do not let your emotions take over you so willingly."

Toushirou looked at Byakuya, _'…what?'_

"You have nerve to say this when you yourself had a wife, and because of her do you share your roof with Rukia, if anything she is your attachment." Ichigo stated darkly, trying to remain calm. "Emotions guide everyone to quit or go on, stop or go, and mine is more visible than you allow yours too." He turned to him, "I'm fine."

"You are the only taichou that is unstable now." Byakuya retorted.  
Ichigo then glared at him, "do you wish to see how _unstable_ I am?"  
"Rash as always," he grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto so easily.  
"Especially when I am angry." His hand waved, sending his men away.  
"Your sin upon him is your own issue, and that which will be taught."  
He grabbed his zanpakuto now, grinning, "you're pissing me off now."

Toushirou called out, "what are you two doing, you're not allowed to fight here."

"You heard your pet." Byakuya poked the word in Ichigo's face tauntingly.  
The orange-haired captain glared evenly with him, "should I strike _that_ nerve?"  
"It would be the last thing you ever do." He stated instantly—obviously defensive.  
His grin widened and chuckled, "angry now? You know you will die if we fight."  
"Ichigo!" Toushirou yelled at him angrily, not liking this argument of theirs.

The stoic captain also began to chuckle, "how sad," he mused, "you will make him cry if you do not obey his whining." So Byakuya asked, "so who is the man in your-"

In a flash, Ichigo thrust his sword downwards at Byakuya who managed to use a flash step to avoid the attack. So just as Ichigo was about to jump forth to give him a much more powerful attack, Toushirou grabbed his sleeve. It angered him how the small captain was trying to have him back down from the challenge thrown at him. Just as the orange-haired captain was going to press forth at the black-haired one, the white-haired wrapped his arms around one of Ichigo's.

"Let go of my arm." Ichigo demanded slow and sternly. "Now."  
"You're not allowed to fight with a zanpakuto, and you'." He retorted.  
His arm ripped out of the small one's grasp, "I said now!" He jumped-  
Toushirou grabbed him at the waist, "you're still wounded!"  
"Getsuga tensho!!!" Roared the angry captain, striking at Byakuya.  
The stoic captain dodged and unsheathed his zanpakuto, "humorous."  
"For the moment." Ichigo stated with an equal tone.

"This has gone far enough!" Soi Fon yelled at the two. "You know better."  
The two captains that were fighting had looked at her seriously, "…"  
Shunsui came walking over casually and looked at Byakuya, "you know better."  
"To attack the next sotaichou in line, he might not like you," chirped Jyuushirou.  
"My, my, is this how nobles argue?" Shusuke asked curiously. "Seems dangerous."

Toushirou saw how every captain was there, and so—out of embarrassment, he let go of the orange-haired captain. Instantly Ichigo used his flash steps and attacked Byakuya head on as he always did, and so it was blocked. But it was a fake attack and he used a flash step to go behind him, barely grazing his arm as the stoic one tried to dodge. Their reiatsu was enormous and heavy on everyone's soul, but they were all trying to deal with it. Since Soi Fon was the first to appear before the others, she turned and looked over at Toushirou while yelling in annoyance.

"Why are they fighting?!" She yelled.

Toushirou didn't spare her a glance as he retorted boredly. "How should I know. One moment I talk to Kurosaki, the next Kuchiki comes to view. They talked about some nobility issues and began to fight." He left the parts out where he was involved in it.

"Hn." Soi Fon returned her gaze to the two that were fighting.  
Sajin looked at her, "does this mean anything, Soi Fon?"  
"It's best if we don't interfere." She replied. "It's for dominance."  
Toushirou finally glanced at her for this, _'dominance?'  
_"Will you please care to explain?" Retsu asked softly.

"There's four clans that belong to great nobles. Sometimes leaders fight with another to gain some superiority." Soi Fon stated. "Ichigo is a threat to Byakuya's position as the strongest clan at the moment because Yoruichi-sama backed down." She frowned at this, "but to fight right now doesn't make sense."

"If we don't stop them, they might interfere with Seireitei." Jyuushirou frowned.  
"Or destroy it." Mayuri added as they blew up a section of a wall.  
"It's night already and their breaking things," Kenpachi chuckled.  
Satoshi watched boredly, "Kurosaki seems to have an advantage."  
"Kuchiki 'pissed off' Kurosaki." Toushirou stated quietly.  
"Then it should be over soon." Yamamoto spoke out.  
Everyone turned to the old man in surprise, "…'

"Kurosaki Ichigo." The old man called out and the two stopped fighting. "Finish it."

Everyone's eyes widened and turned to the match above them, only to see blood spill from Byakuya's form. Ichigo then yelled out the incantation for a binding spell to restrain the stoic captain's body and had him thrown into the ground. Byakuya was now fighting for consciousness, but he lost terrible and passed out from the impact along with the immense blood loss. They all watched as Ichigo stepped down on the flooring and looked at the easily taken down captain, and thrust his zanpakuto into the ground next to his fallen face.

In a blink of an eye, Byakuya was defeated.

"Good." Yamamoto called out, and Ichigo knelt down obedient. "There is no penalty."  
"Thank you, sotaichou." Ichigo replied quietly. "I wish to retire now, if allowed."  
"It is granted." The elder then began to walk off, leaving everyone to be.  
He looked to Retsu with an apologetic look, "I'll take him to your unit first."  
Her head bowed softly in gratitude, "thank you very much."

Now then, Ichigo turned to Toushirou, and he looked fairly angry.

The small captain swallowed a little nervously, "what is it?"  
He grabbed him by the collar, "**don't**, do that, **ever**, again."  
"You two shouldn't have been fighting in the first place." He glared.  
Ichigo bitterly chuckled and released him, "you better get to your unit."  
This made him a little annoyed, "why should I bother to listen to you if you won't—"  
"You're pissing me off too." Walking over, he picked up Byakuya, "get outta here."

Toushirou was about to retort angrily but Soi Fon raised a hand before he could even think of what to say. Soi Fon barely glanced at him, glaring at him sternly while she placed her hand down and followed after the orange-haired captain. Ichigo obviously knew that Soi Fon was at his side, and didn't care that she placed her hand on his back. Shunsui came over and placed a reassuring hand on Toushirou's shoulder to help him with the cold attitude of the now distant captain.

"He may have chosen a full life at being a shinigami, but his duties are not at all any easier." He tried to explain. "The King even declared that Kurosaki Ichigo should be the next sotaichou because of his determination and strength." His lips curved down towards a frown. "He's a noble for the Kasumiouji clan, a lover for you, and a taichou for Soul Society." Shunsui went to the point, "he will have to lose something soon."

There was something hidden in that tone and looked at the captains, noticing that they were all still there, "you people are plotting something," he watched as some snorted and others looked away. "Are you saying you don't believe he can do it?"

"Ichigo can do it." Kenpachi stated in annoyance. "We all know that."  
"But we've come to the conclusion that he's too emotional." Mayuri added.  
"Emotional?" Toushirou glanced at everyone, "if this is about me and—"  
"Don't get riled up." Jyuushirou called out worriedly. "We just need to see."  
"See what?" He became a little defensive, not knowing what he meant.

"We need to see the potential of Kurosaki," Sajin stated sternly, "because we finally had you release your zanpakuto on him, and now that you know the truth we have been hiding," his full attention went to him, "it's his turn to show his true strength."

"Then I'll help." Toushirou stated, causing three of the captains to chuckle. "What?"  
Mayuri, one of the three that chuckled, and looked to him, "boy, you're the bait."  
"Our job is to relocate you and put you somewhere he can't find you." Satoshi stated.  
Kenpachi struck Toushirou in the face with his blade, "and we have to fight him."  
"But it seems that to do so, we have to get him angry." Shusuke frowned.

"That's suicidal," Toushirou looked at them, "he has powers that can't be easily be-"

"The powers of a hollow?" Mused Mayuri. "We're aware of his ability."  
"We hope that it won't consume him." Sajin added lightly.  
Jyuushirou smiled, "hopefully he won't kill any of us though."  
"He needs to defeat us all in order to become sotaichou." Shunsui stated.  
"Which is why we need to go to sleep soon." Satoshi informed.  
Kenpachi chuckled at that, "why? You think you're going to last?"  
"Not really since he took Kuchiki out with a blink of an eye."

"Which is why we too are on the mission." Rangiku's voice called out.

Everyone turned around to see the orange-haired lieutenant, along with the other eleven that stood behind her, plus Rukia, Ikkaku, Hanatarou, and Yumichika with them. Toushirou frowned angrily at this, they were actually going to use him to get to Ichigo, but would it actually work against the shinigami who possessed the ability to become such a threat. That's why the eleventh division captain cut his face with his zanpakuto, his blood now staining the ground which was most likely to convince the orange-haired captain that he was attacked. Didn't everyone notice that they were treading on very thin ice when dealing with this type of situation when they all had witnessed the power of Ichigo when he was told to finish it.

"Nanao-chan, did that old man put you on this mission?" Shunsui frowned worriedly.  
"We heard about this plan and wanted to help." Renji stated sternly.  
Rukia tried to explain, "he's close to a lot of us, and so if he gets outta hand…"  
"When can somehow calm him down." Rangiku finished her sentence.  
"I want to smack him around a few times." Ikkaku smirked widely.

"Is this a party that I'm not invited to?" A voice asked out sternly.

"T-Taichou!" Momo quickly brushed through everyone and clung to his arm. "We were just talking about how you took down Kuchiki taichou! It was amazing!"  
"It was so fast that we didn't even see it!" Marechiyo called out with a thumbs up.  
"…" The orange-haired captain glared at them with a hint of suspicion.  
'_He's not buying it.'_ Toushirou thought to himself instantly, wondering what to do.  
"Kurosaki taichou…" Rangiku called out cheerfully, unsure what to say though.  
Shunsui smiled, "well, with that done with, how about we all go to sleep."

As everyone agreed and turned, Ichigo called out, "do you think I'll buy that lie?" He had everyone stop to look at him, most lieutenants worried. "The fukutaichou were _running_ here except for Hinamori." So he now asked, "again, what is this about?"

"T-Taichou, we—," Momo was looked at, and she kept quiet. "I'm sorry."  
"All fukutaichou and underlings, return to your divisions, now." Ichigo demanded.  
Soi Fon, still being the woman at his side, she looked to them, "you heard him, do you all want to end up like Kuchiki Byakuya in the healing room barely breathing?!"  
With that, they all fled so Ichigo observed the remaining captains. "Who was it?" Now everyone looked at one another confusedly. "Who scratched Hitsugaya Toushirou?"  
Toushirou's eyes widened after this was mentioned, "it's nothing, I did it."  
"I did it." Kenpachi chuckled. "I was gonna kill him, but the others said not to."  
"Do I have to send you all to the fourth division, unconscious?" Ichigo glared sternly.  
"Ichigo," Soi Fon called out, "you're tired from being with the nobles, I'll take you—"

Angrily, the fifth division captain shrugged the woman off, "I'll take myself." He felt her grab his sleeve slightly with worry, so he stopped and looked at her, "I'm fine Shaolin, really, it's best that everyone here goes to rest as Kyouraku-san said."

What a fine idea that was. Everyone then split up and went to their separate units so that they all could get some well deserved sleep. Toushirou on the other hand just stood there for a while in confusion because they didn't say when they would do this to the orange-haired captain. His attention went up to the lodge that belonged to the man and wondered if he should tell him, or if he should really let everything continue on and find out how powerful he was. No, it didn't matter to him right now with him being so furious at him for some reason, so he walked up the stairs and went to the sliding doors and knocked on the softly.

Ichigo slid the doors open and looked at him sternly, "what is it."  
"Did I upset you?" He asked weakly by accident, so he cleared his throat.  
"You interfere in my fight with Byakuya," he glared, "and lied right to my face."  
The small captain looked to the ground, "I didn't want you to fight," he whispered.  
"Keeping balance is a task that I have to do sometimes." He closed the doors.  
Toushirou called out from the other side, "what's more important to you? Pride?"  
"It has nothing to do with pride." The tall captain retorted in annoyance.

He didn't want to argue anymore, and just asked out, "can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Your division needs you Toushirou." Replied the still irritated man.  
His eyes closed, "may I please sleep with you. I'm worried," he added.  
Ichigo slid the doors slowly and looked at him, "worried about what?"  
"You." The small one answered. "You're really angry right now."  
"All the more reason to stay away from me, isn't it?" He glared.  
"Just tonight. No more—I promise," Toushirou stated.  
"Stop lying to me," Ichigo stepped aside.  
"I know that you're mad, but…"  
"What is it?" He growled.

Toushirou stepped in and nervously gave him a hug in hopes of calming down the angry captain somehow. He wanted this man to calm down as much as possible, but he didn't know how to do that because he didn't please him. His ears heard the doors slide shut and his gaze went upwards towards the receiving distance brown eyes that wouldn't look at him. The small captain was removed by the taller one and he could only watch as Ichigo went to his room, change, and lay on the futon.

"I thought you wanted to sleep." Ichigo called out.

He looked at the ground, "I want you to talk to me first."  
"There's nothing to talk about." The tall one stated.  
"Now look who's lying—" Toushirou stopped talking.

Ichigo had sat up at this, glaring at him angrily before grabbing the smaller captain and throwing him against the sheets and crouched over his body, "If you're that slow at the moment, I'll tell you that I'm pissed off right now." He placed Toushirou's soft hands against the pillow over his head, "you're not helping my frustration by trying to get it out of me, and I don't want to harm you." His grip slacked and added, "it's best if you go to your division and sleep Toushirou, you'll be safer that way."

"I want to be with you," frowned the smaller captain, "I'm safest with you."  
"What did the others discuss in my absence?" Ichigo asked sternly.  
He couldn't tell him, he couldn't, and so he asked, "can I kiss you?"  
"_**You**_ have never kissed _**me**_, Toushirou." Replied the captain. "You're scared."  
His eyes closed before they could widen in surprise, "I don't want you to be angry."

He sighed at the boy avoiding the subject and called out, "go ahead."

The small captain was given permission to kiss him, but he was so nervous about making the first move, so he just stared at Ichigo. His cheeks reddened when Ichigo leaned down to his neck and bit him a little harshly, but he didn't cry out in pain. If anything, he deserved to get bit by him since he had bit the tall one awhile back when he was at the Kasumiouji mansion. Thoughts about what the captains and lieutenants were going to do to the orange-haired captain made him frown softly and wrap his arms around his larger body for his own support. This act alone made Ichigo release the small one and looked at him eye to eye—something was wrong, and it had to be something big in order to upset him so much, so he had to say it.

"Tell me what's wrong Toushirou." Ichigo demanded.  
The small one looked away, "I can't… really."  
"If you don't tell me, I'll kill Hinamori."  
He snorted, "no you wouldn't Kurosaki."  
"…" Silence was the reply given.

Toushirou knew that meant he was serious, but that shouldn't be possible—he wasn't the type that would kill based on a petty reason. "The others taichou…" he paused, "they said that they need to know what your full potential is, and they noticed that they can tell only when your mad." His face leaned over against Ichigo's neck. "Their going to do something—their going to use me as bait to get to you…"

"Fools, they want to be killed then?" Ichigo asked with amusement.  
He turned his attention upward to him, "you'll really kill everyone?"  
"If the order is given," the orange-haired man got up, "let's go."  
"Go?" Toushirou looked at him confusedly and sat up. "Where?"  
"I'll take you to your division so they can kidnap you easily."  
"Y-You're going to go through with this? You idiot!" He glared.

Ichigo placed is white long sleeve haori on and opened the sliding doors to leave his room and grabbed his zanpakuto and opened the last sliding door to peer over the side, "old man," he called out, "ya know stalking pisses me off faster than anything."

"I am aware of that." The general called from below, "come down here."

He growled and heard Toushirou behind him, and so to save him from the old man's hassle, the orange-haired man leapt down and bowed. Toushirou had fixed his haori as he came to the railing to see how Ichigo was being controlled by the old man. This was enough for him though so he turned around to close the door and turned back to the railing. With only a few seconds of turning away, the small captain witnessed Ichigo _kneeling_ at the general. Something caught his attention and he looked to the side, only to see that woman Yoruichi standing a few feet away.

"I'm sorry that it has come to this, Kurosaki." The old man said, "but to see just how powerful you are, we have no choice but to test you." He looked at him sternly, "do whatever is necessary to retrieve your tenth division captain."

Toushirou heard this—it was happening already?!

Yoruichi then dashed off to grab the small captain, only to be halted by a very angry orange-haired captain who began raising his reiatsu. "Toushirou." Ichigo said darkly as he pulled his zanpakuto out, "do you want me to fight, or stand down?"

Toushirou was taken back by this, "why do you want me to decide?!"  
Soi Fon came from behind the boy and Ichigo punched her in the stomach, "sorry."  
The female captain wince, "I-Ichi…" she fell unconscious and he set her on the floor.  
"I only became a taichou for you," Ichigo stated, "do you think I'd listen to him?"  
"Don't be selfish Kurosaki!" Toushirou yelled angrily. "You have what it takes!"

"Toushirou." Ichigo called even darker, "do you want me to fight, or stand down."

The small captain swallowed as he wondered why this was all up to him, was it because Ichigo still didn't fully care about Soul Society? Ichigo could become a great person by showing everyone his full power, but isn't that wrong to do? True, there was a small desire to see Ichigo succeed, and the desire to see how powerful he was, but was that going to make him selfish? Already he was aware of how he would be the one who would plea and beg as Ichigo obeys every command. How could Ichigo be so dominant over everything and yet be so submissive as to obey Toushirou?

"I want you to fight." Toushirou whispered as he stared at the ground.

There was a very long silence before Ichigo vanished and everyone looked down to where Ichigo kneeled on the grounds down below, just two yards away from the old man. Slowly he raised his arm to the side and called forth his bankai in which his entire body was engulfed with a black aura as his reiatsu tripled if not more than usual that, before the lighting of the aura died down, fierce static appeared. Already he was surrounded by the all of the lieutenants, including his own, and the remaining captains other than Toushirou and the general; and they all caught glimpse of his eyes that easily yelled—no—that _**screamed**_ to everyone how he found his resolve. Toushirou then clung to the railing as he tried to keep an eye on the fight that was just about to happen, that was, until his eyes widened when watching the orange-haired captain placing a hand over his face which mean that he was not going to give them any mercy. Gusts of painful winds struck all of those around the masked captain who merely roared his defiance to those who opposed him; all of the lieutenants and lower ranks that just came over began falling backwards at the reiatsu that increased tens times even more.

Even Zaraki Kenpachi just realized what they got themselves into.

"Don't kill them!" Toushirou demanded immediately from the railing.  
The masked captain replied coldly, "that's for if they touch you."  
"I mean it Kurosaki!" He repeated angrily. "Don't kill them!"  
His attention went to the boy and answered, "understood."

Kenpachi laughed, "ya kidding me right?" He quickly added, "you're gonna listen to that kid when you reek with the resolve to kill us?! Ya can't tame a demon!!!"

Blood then flew in the air immediately.

"Stop talking." Ichigo stated with an echoing tone.

Not one person saw what had just happened, and just as everyone stared at the man who was just now wounded, Jyuushirou, Kyouraku, and Retsu were all knocked down unconscious. The old man kept a stern watch as he knew that this wasn't his full potential and that he was only playing with them, and so in seconds with step flashes did he manage to bring Toushirou down by his side by the hem of his collar. Mayuri now had a few dislocated bones and his sword thrown aside, Satoshi and Shusuke were laying on the ground unconscious with heavy bleeding due to Ichigo using his newest attack with Zangetsu. Sajin was then placed in a tight restraint with kido and fell to the ground as well as all of those in front of him, and all left that tried their best to resist was the laughing Zaraki Kenpachi, and to end his happy time, Ichigo punched him in the stomach harshly. Hearing the painful grunts from Toushirou had him stand up and turn towards the old commanding captain with his fierce eyes as he threw away Toushirou casually to the side and drew his zanpakuto from his staff and his reiatsu beamed down on everyone nearby which had no affect on Ichigo.

"I don't care if you're angry at me," the orange-haired captain stated his voice darkly echoed due to the mask, "I'll fight when I _want_ to and not when I'm _told_ to." With a movement of his hand, the mask vanished and he reverted from his bankai, "I _**may**_ be a taichou, but don't forget that I am also an individual. Not to mention that I have no reason to kill the others yet." He walked over to the old man, "you know that I can go even further than this, and yet you really want to test me that badly." The elder went into a ready position. "Toushirou, I know you can't bear the weight of this all, but please go to my lodge and stay there, the others will no longer go after you.

With that said, the two vanished with a flash step and Toushirou could only obey.


End file.
